The Dark of Shadows
by InternationalChoclate
Summary: When a foreigner comes to town, she turns life upsidedown for BF5, giving them a new member, new foes, and for one of the members, a new bestfriend and later, girlfriend. But, this is no ordinary girl, she has a rare relic from the multiverse inside of her, and a horrible past that, if tells anyone about, they wind up dead.Warning: occasional implied cursing, and dark past.
1. Chapter 1

Any dialogue in **bold** is spoken in Japanese.

Prologue:

It's a small town, out in the desert. In the middle of nowhere, he'd never think to look for me there. I have a head start, at least a good thirty minutes. I'll be able to reach the airport and slip past security, get a free first class ride to the town. I feel guilty, about all this robing and stealing I've been doing. But I do it to survive. I wouldn't have to if he had left my parents alone. Never pulled that trigger, didn't shoot , so the glass never shattered on my father and the bullet never pierced my mother's flesh. Never killing them, never taking me from the hospital after I healed, where the torture began.

Oh, but it wasn't entirely his fault, I could have done something, I know I could have. Revealed my secret my parents told me too conceal forever. Killed him, and I wouldn't be in this position, running scared through a shallow river, with a small backpack that shields what few belongings I have from the water splashing each time I ran a step.

The airport lights appear in the distance. I should be happy, I've almost made it out of his grasp. But all I can think about is how my friend wanted to be a pilot. I told him about my secret, he wasn't scared of me, and he never mentioned it after I told him. Not that he could have because he was shot, just like my mom, right down to the exact same killer.

If I never told him, he would still be alive. But I did, and nothing can change the fact that I, a 16 year old girl, am running for my life, for the third time.

**1 day later: Zeke's (Third person)**

It seems like another normal day at Zeke's. Grace has just finished serving her usual customers, who, unknowingly to the rest of the town, have just secured another battle zone, saving earth once more from the forces of evil.

That is until the stranger walks into Zeke's. Her piercing icy blue eyes gaze around the room looking for something, or someone. She sits down at a table not far from where the gang sits.

She has pale skin, with a strong Japanese heritage. Identity's her as a foreigner in people's eyes. She has a slender athletic build, like a gymnast, or a martial artist.

She brushes a stray strand of her jet black hair, darker than the colour of a shadow, behind her ear.

With just a pair of dark grey jeggings, black shirt and combat boots, she seems like a relaxed kind of person.

Anyways, when Grace comes to give her a menu, she waves it off, and simply asks for a milkshake.

"I've never seen her around before, why do you think she came to Handler's corners? It's not exactly the biggest town." Asks Vert, the only one in the group who was raised in the town with a small population of 772, if you count everyone who lives farther out.

"She's from somewhere in Asia, probably either China or Japan." Sherman says.

Zoom squints, trying to get a closer look at the girl. **"I can't shake the feeling I know her from somewhere.**" He says under his breath.

"Did you say something, kid?" Sherman asks.

"No, and don't call me kid." Says Zoom forcefully.

"Sheesh, don't throw a temper tantrum."

"Alright, enough Spinner." Vert says.

Suddenly, they hear an engine revving. But, this is not just any engine. This is a motorcycle engine. This not any motorcycle engine, this has the distinct sound of someone in particular's personal motorcycle.

"That's my bike!" says Zoom, with a mixture of surprise and anger evident on his face.

"But your keys are right here?" says Stanford, pointing to where 5 keys rest on the table, belong to their respective owner.

"It doesn't matter where my keys are! We need to get my bike back!" yells Zoom, leaping up out of his seat and running out the door.

"We'd better follow him." Says Agura, places a 20 dollar bill on the table, and rushes out to help Zoom, with the rest of the gang following.

Surprisingly, no one notices the new girl is gone, with a solitary coin still spinning at her table.

Hi everyone, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the next one will be longer. So, please review, and constructive critiscm is appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

**I am an idiot! Zoom's Thai not Japanese, and thanks to Rebloxic for pointing that out! So from now on, anything in bold is in Thai. Also, the mysterious foreigner looks like she's from Thailand, not Japan. So sorry!**

**? POV**

They probably think I'm a criminal, who's had a hard life. Or their thinking I'm a kid who grew up on the streets, with no one to teach me how to behave. Maybe I'm just another rebellious teenager to them, adding to their mental list about why teens can't be trusted.

Whatever they think, it's nothing I haven't heard before. Besides, after, what, 8 years of doing this, I don't expect people to like me the second they get a look at me.

If they knew what I've been through though, how hard it's been since my parents died when I was five, would their opinions change? No, probably not. The people of Handlers Corners are just like the rest of society, people who don't want me around.

Although, I have to admit, they make a nice milkshake.

Besides the usual depressing thoughts about my life, something else is bugging me. Something about this bike is out of the ordinary. It's just extremely, futuristic. Someone obviously paid big bucks to get this bike.

That means I'm going to make big bucks selling it.

Stormshock, in T minus 3 minutes. Okay, now I'm getting a lot of money because the bike talks. Score, yet kind of creepy.

Other than the bike, everything seems rather ordinary.

Wait a second…is that…..

Okay, scratch that, everything else is not ordinary.

"**What the F %*?!" **I mutter in Thai, staring at the blue tornado, like swirling thing dead ahead.

It's definitely strange, and most likely dangerous. But, well I'm a daredevil. And dangerous has one meaning to us.

Fun.

I speed up, going at speeds that would get me arrested if anyone sees me. I collide with the tornado with a brilliant flash of blue light.

On the inside, it is even stranger. Nothing what the inside of a tornado is supposed to look like. The off thing is the portal/opening/picture at the top.

With curiosity and the craving for action steering my decision, I go with my gut and head through the opening.

**Zoom's POV**

"**Oh shit, she's here in the battlezone." **I say, slamming the passenger door of the Reverb and running to where my bike is propped up against the cold metal wall of this battlezone.

"If she's here, then we have to find her, she could get herself killed here." Vert says over the comm.

"That's pretty ironic, since were going to see her get locked up when we get back." Says Stanford.

"Maybe not, she's left some cash to cover any damages, addressed to the owner of the bike which is me. Besides, Sheriff Johnson would do everything in his power to keep her out of jail just to annoy us, because we're not exactly his favourite people." I say.

"Zoom's right. We need to find her and the battle key. Agura, Zoom, track her down, while the rest of us capture the battle key." Vert commands. I hop on the Chopper, start it up, and speed off, just to stop as a metal wall appears in front of one route and the wall to my left disappears, revealing another route.

"That's not going to be a problem." Stanford says, with sarcasm dripping from his tone.

"Alright, Stanford, echomap( A/N: I can't remember what it is he does a echo something, using sounds to find the key.) the area to find a route to the key. Zoom,fly high and try to find the girl. Got it, now go!"

"One ramp, coming up." Calls Spinner, and I use the ramp to get a bird's eye view of the battlezone.

Out of the corner of my eye I spot her. I get down closer, but not too close, so I don't scare her. With her long jet black hair whipping behind her as she runs, she reminds me of a magnificent black stallion. Strong, graceful and free.

I also have a feeling that I've already met her, many years ago…..

**Asia POV**

I've been running around this place for a while, with walls magically appearing in front of me.

I think I'm alone here.

"Hi-"says a guy's voice. I whip around to face the stranger. He's the same teenager whose bike I stole. He seems my age, wearing some yellow/golden outfit.

"**Who are You**?" I hiss in Thai.

"**I'm Zoom and you are**?" I'm surprised he know Thai.

"**About to kick your butt**." I say and Kick him in the stomach, sending him flying back hitting a metal wall.


	3. Chapter 3

**Anything in bold is in Thai.**

? POV

I run, far away from the Zoom character, what direction, I don't know. I'm actually surprised I even talked to him; usually I would've fought him, or just ran. I don't know, but I kind of trust him, it's just a feeling I have, this quick feeling of trust, it hasn't happened for years. Not since I met that boy, years ago.

In the order.

Shut up with the dramatics, I tell myself. It's not like anyone can hear you thinking.

Suddenly, I stop dead in my tracks and I let a gasp find it'd way out of my lips. "Whoa…."

Dead ahead of me, spinning in midair, is a large key.

Sub consciously I walk towards it, and hold out my hand. The key zaps from its original place in the air, and into the palm of my hand.

The key, while large and heavily detailed, is surprisingly light. It's a silver metallic like colour, and has lines engraved in, some sort of metal I can't name.

The sound of four engines wakes me out of my thoughts. Out of the blue, 4….. Animals... in cars….. Are closing in on me.

Panic wells up in my chest. Asia, it's just some crazy furballs. It's not… him.

"Sub-species! Give us the battle key!" The lion roars. Oh, so they talk. Why am I not surprised.

"**What's so special about this key? Is there some giant door or something? Does it lead to Iams pet food or some cat toy**?" I taunt, and a victorious smirk spreads on my face as I watch them look at me in confusion.

"Captain Kalus, what is she saying.?" Asks the crocodile.

"She is new, not part of the battle force five." Sneers the shark, he should really shut up. I can take him, and he wouldn't see it coming.

"Quiet Sever, Crocomodo. Hatch, is she speaking some sort of magic?" asks, who I believe is Captain Kalus, the leader.

"I am not sure Captain Kalus." Squeaks the scorpion, who I think is Hatch.

My smirk grows wider as I think of the fun I can have. "**You can't be that stupid. Although your brains are the size of walnuts.**"

They all take their eyes off me and look at Hatch, as if wanting an answer. I take this as my chance to escape.

I slip back the way I came, and a wall forms behind me, and the last thing I hear is a loud "I told you I don't know!"

Still smiling, I look down at the key I'm holding in my hand, my jet black side bangs falling in front if my eyes. I heard Captain Kalus call it a battle key. It must be important, if he wanted it so bad.

Maybe this key will let me go back home….

The feeling that I'm being watched jolts me out of my thoughts. I look up, and find that I'm standing in front of 5 cars.

One red, one blue, one purple, one green….and….and…

One yellow. One yellow I know very well. One yellow I stole, one yellow I returned, one yellow whose owner I've injured, trusted, and… knew?

"**You….." **I say, staring him in the eye.

"**You- wait a sec, you got the battle key**!" he exclaims.

"In English please!" says the purple one

"He can't switch to English, the girl obviously can't speak English." Says the red one, who is probably the leader.

I don't know why, but what he said makes me mad. "That girl can in fact speak English, and the girl's name is Asia" I say, and run, jump on the hood of the purple car, run onto the roof and jump off, landing behind them.

With battle key in hand, I thrust it out, and a blue portal appears, and I race through.

It all happens so fast, but the thing I think is family. They act as a family, even though they aren't related in blood.

I haven't had a family since I was five.

And I let my first tear fall in 6 years.

**Heyyy! I can't believe I got this finished for tonight! Yayy! I'm going to do probably do a Lunar chronicles Fanfiction soon. The lunar chronicles is a book series, in case you don't know. So yeah, please review! When you review, it makes my day!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Asia's POV**

The second I get back on earth, I scan the area for a building to hide in. The closest building is what seems to be either a garage or some sort of car testing lab.

Dashing through the desert sand, I climb through an open window in the front of the building. Inside is a normal garage, just a bit dusty, not like it was abandoned, but just in need of a clean.

I'm not positive whether there's anyone here, and for the first few seconds, I think I'm alone. Until I see the alien come out of nowhere. She's slightly transparent, and blue in colour.

We stand there, staring and still as stone. I think were both trying to comprehend the situation, and figure out what to do…., or she's stalling!

I have enough time to say crap in my head when the door opens.

"Hey Sage, were back! Another battle…." Starts the one with blonde hair, but trails off once he realizes I'm here. They're the ones from the restaurant, and the other place.

I've got bad luck.

We're all quiet for a second, before I speak up. "I've got to go now so, bye." I start to run to the open window from where came, until one word echoes around the large room.

"Wait." I turn around, facing the blonde who spoke. "We can explain, about, everything. Just listen, Asia, right?" I nod, and fold my arms across my chest.

"Before I do that, I'll introduce you to everyone. I'm Vert, and this is Agura, Zoom, Sherman, his older brother Spinner, Stanford, and Sage." He says, pointing to everyone in turn. So Zoom didn't tell his team about

A couple of hellos are spoken before Vert continues. "We are Battle Force 5. We protect earth from threats such as the Vandals, Primitive animas who think and act like humans, only more power hungry and evil, and the Sark, robots, with a massive army. They want to takeover earth, and the way to do that is to get possession of a battle key. The only thing stopping them is us. Our job is to get all the battle keys so they can't get to earth."

He pauses for a minute to catch his breath. "It's a tough job-"

"And a pain in the neck" interrupts Stanford. I think he's Stanford anyways.

Vert glares at Stanford. I think he's about to continue but I speak up. "Before you continue, I think what you guys do is really important. And I think I know why you need to keep what you do undercover. But, if these Sark and Vandals are as big of a threat as you say, you probably need all the help you can get. So, can I join?"

Agura speaks first "Of course, from what we have seen, you have some impressive skills. We could definitely benefit from having you on the team." I smile slightly at that.

Spinner adds on "Yeah! Like the way you jumped onto Stanford's car, and leaped off, like you were the main controllable female character in a video game. That took serious skills!"

"Did it have to be my car?" grumbles Stanford.

"Wait, what about your parents? You are obviously not from Handler's Corners, or older than 18." Sherman says.

I clench my fist and look up at the ceiling. Whenever someone mentions my parents, it sends a wave of guilt crashing through my mind. I remember the day when it happened vividly, right down to the look on my mother's face as the bullet pierced her flesh.

Stop it Asia! I shout at myself mentally. It just makes things worse! I look at Bf5, now, my teammates and force out "My-parents, won't mind…"

They seem to catch on and give me looks of sympathy. I want to scream when people do that. Their sympathy won't bring my parents back from the dead, won't stop the years of torture I went through disappear just like that.

Vert breaks the silence. "Well, don't worry. We'll be your family now." I smile all thoughts of my depressing life fly out of me, family.

Suddenly, Sage gasps, and I follow her gaze to the wall where all our shadows are. But something, I don't know how it's happening, changes about my shadow.

First it disappears, and then it returns, as the shadow of an orb. Then it changes to show a sword, a fist, a motorcycle. Everyone stares in disbelief. My shadow turns into a rose. The petals fall off, and the petals turn into droplets of blood, then it all disappears in a flash of black. After the flash, my shadow is back to normal.

"So, the legends are true!" Sage says " You are the Black Shadow."

**Hi everyone! Sorry for taking so long! I had an Idea about doing an Ask/Dare BF5, since I personally enjoyed reading Melosa's and Adventure Prince's. But I need to know that I would get questions and dares before I start. So, if you would like me to do that, review on this story or pm me saying you want me to do it! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Any dialogue in BOLD is spoken in Thai. Anything in **_**Italics**_** is a flashback/what scene someone is describing from along go**

**Asia's POV**

"Sage, what's a Black Shadow?" asks Vert, clearly as confused as I am.

"A Black Shadow is a name, for someone like Asia. The Black Shadow is a person with the Dark Orb inside of them. It's said to be located in the back of their hand, where it won't interfere with any vital organs. Anyways, over the course of time, people will have small fragments of the black orb in them without realizing it. With each generation, larger and larger pieces are inside until you get the full orb. This only happens every thousand years. It's ancient, and worth millions of your earth dollars." Sage begins to explain.

What? I'm worth millions? My mouth drops and I stare at Sage expecting her to yell fooled you! But she doesn't.

"Which bank can we cash her in? Everyone here could use a million dollars, except maybe Sage, but that's not the point! I could bribe everyone in my family and go from 189 to 1 in line for the throne!" exclaims Stanford. What the hell? I'm not your personal ticket to royalty!

I'm about voice my thoughts but Zoom beats me to it. "What the heck Stanford! She's a girl, not your escort to being king!" I blink in surprise. I certainly did not except him to stick up for me. That was kind.

"Anyways, the dark orb is said to not be a physical object in the Black Shadow, but if somehow is taken out of her, it's said to be an actual orb. This orb is also said to grant the Black Shadow powers, but that's just a legend, and I doubt that part is true. The black Shadow also has the ability to get to battelzones without a chip." continues Sage.

I let out a gasp. So, that's why? Now that I think about it, it makes sense, at least a little bit.

"There is one last thing. If Asia is taken to the centre of a certain battlezone, the orb literally explodes inside of her, killing Asia. And if anyone succeeds with that, they gain powers, and basically rule the multiverse. So if this happens and the orb falls into the wrong hands…" concludes Sage, trailing off.

Sage didn't need to finish. If it falls into the wrong hands, earth is left vulnerable to takeover, the universe, or the multiverse as Sage calls it falls to evil.

I'm not focused on what everyone is saying, but everyone heads their own way, leaving me with Zoom.

Zoom is about to ask me something, but I interrupt him. "I'm guessing you're going to ask if we've met before, and, where."

Zoom just nods. I'm surprised; I can't believe I knew what he was going to say before he said it. That's what something best friends do after they've known each other for over 4 years. At least, I think so. I've never exactly had a best friend for longer than 2 months.

"Alright, this is how we met." I say and take a breath.

_A 10 year old Asia walked through the doors of the order, clutching her backpack with her meager possessions inside. Beside her was one of the masters/ teachers lead her through. A lot of the students couldn't help but look at the girl, and she couldn't blame them. Her electric Blue hair stood out, and the fresh bruises wounds and scars covering most of her body didn't help either._

"_This is Master T. Master T, this is the prodigy we were speaking of. Her hair is unfortunately semi- permanent and should wash out in about a year." The teacher, said with a thick accent._

"_Welcome, to the order of the Flying Fists. And I assume you are Asia?" he asked, and I noded._

"_Good. This is the Chosen One, Zoom. Next to him is Zen. I recommend that you get to know zoom, as you two will be training together, since you are at an extremely advanced level." He continued._

"_Hi." I said simply._

_Hi." Zoom and Zen responded in unison._

"_I must leave you for now. Zoom, explain the way of life and rules to Asia, and give her a tour. I'll be seeing you both tomorrow early. Come, Zen." He finished, and he and Zen disappeared._

"_So, you know I'm Zoom. And I know your Asia. Where are you from?" he asked quickly._

_I hesitated before answering, I had escaped recently, and the feeling of the beatings was fresh in my memory. "I'm from Bangko,_ _Krung Thep Maha Nakhon."_

"_That's awesome!"_

"_So, what exactly is the chosen one?" I said, more confident than before. He won't hurt me, and he probably doesn't know him, so maybe he could be, a possible friend?_

"_It's a person who's chosen to guard the Blue Flame. They have to be super awesome, too." He said, striking a superhero pose._

"_Then how did you get chosen, because you did say they had to be super awesome. And you, not so much." I said, biteing back a giggle as I watched his face work through the emotions, happy, confused, sad, mad._

"_Hey!" he said, pointing at me with his pointer finger. Then he smiled again. "You're funny. I think I'm going to like you. C'mon, I'll show you around." Zoom charged off, and I quickly followed him._

"I'm not surprised you don't recognize me, and I recently remembered that you were my best friend from the order. I guess we've both changed appearance wise." I conclude.

Zoom looks thoughtful for a moment. My heart begins to race. What if he doesn't believe me? What if he laughs and thinks I'm crazy.

"Now, I remember. Damn, it was stupid of us to not remember each other."

" Because you know it's your bestfriend from five years ago when she kicks you in the stomach." I say dryly.

"That's true. Anyways, I haven't changed much since then, and if we remember everything about each other right, we'll be back to best friends in no time." He says, and I can't help but smile.

"Sure."

"Oh! We need to get you to Sage so she can get you your vehicle and suit! Come on!" He says, grabbing hold of my arm and drags me over to where Sage went.

**Hi! It's been soooo long since I updated and I feel sooooo bad. Sorry! Ok, so this takes place after the finale, but Krytus isn't here. So basically, this is like an imaginary season 2, and the cannon season 2 is season 3. My computer is nearly dead, so I'll have a hard time updating, so that's why this took so long. Please review, follow and favourite! That would make my day! **

**P.S. Longest chapter yet! I'm at 1,155 words and 6 pages! Yay!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi guys! I'm sorry I haven't updated since the summer. I went on Vacation and then School started.**

**I'm currently working on the next chapter, and it should be up before Friday.**

**I still want to know if you guys want me to do that Ask BF5 thing.**

**By the way, ignore that explanation last chapter. Next chapter takes place during Season 1 episode 19.**

**Ok, so here is an excerpt from next chapter. **

"**With tears beginning to trail down my cheeks, I held his hand and that's when I realized; he was going to die."**

**Yeah. I'm not revealing more than that. **

**So, yeah! Again, I'm really sorry about neglecting this.**

**Everyone is welcome to rant to me in the reviews now, for these reasons:**

**What! Why are you killing someone off!**

**Hurry up with the next chapter!**

**But you said something different last chapter about the timeline!**

**WHY IS THIS AN AUTHORS NOTE INSTEAD OF A CHAPTER!**

**See you next time.**

**-Chocolate **


	7. Chapter 7

**Any Dialogue in BOLD is in Thai. Words that are ****Underlined are in a novel.**

**I lied again, this takes place during Ep.17 Cold as Ice.**

**One week later**

**Asia's POV**

For the record, having trust and possibly being antisocial isn't my fault. It has a lot to do with, past issues and events. I could get into the details why, but honestly, I don't trust 5 out of the 6 people and 1 Alien here, and this thing doesn't have a lock so….

Zoom was right when he said he hadn't changed, so we've been hanging out like when we were younger.

So I got my vehicle for going through portals and stuff, along with my suit. It's a weird process, for sure. But my vehicle is an awesome Black motorcycle that I named Eclipse, it's faster and leaner than Zoom's. My suit is also black, and I'm the teams new Stealth/Spy because of my ability to "Blend in with the Shadows".

Sage doesn't realise how right she is.

That was the Journal entry I had written earlier… I don't know why it just came back to me.

Whatever, I guess. I'm just going to go back to reading.

With tears beginning to trail down my cheeks, I held his hand and that's when I realized; he was going to die.

Wait What! Nooooooooooo!

I'm turning the next page when I hear a loud noise. I look up from my book and see Agura and Stanford bickering. For the 3rd time today. Grrrrr.

"I hate it when Agura and Stanford diss each other." Sherman says rolling his eyes at the two.

"When do they not diss each other?" Ask Vert rhetorically.

"If you want bickering and dissing, you should have seen Asia and I back at the order." Pipes up Zoom, and I have to agree.

"At the very least, we would give them a run for their money, or just flat out beat them." I add on, nodding. I'm starting to talk to the team a bit more, although I don't usually, unless they ask me something directly.

Suddenly the StormShock Alert goes off, interrupting both Stanford and Agura's bickering and our conversation.

We all jump into/onto our vehicles and ride off. This is going to be my first official mission inside a battlezone.

Driving out to the portal thing was uneventful, except for when Agura and Stanford tried to kill each other a couple of times.

When we got inside the battlezone, it was cold and covered in snow and Ice. I actually adored the cold, unlike a lot of people back home in Thailand.

It was extremely slippery and horrible to drive on, but we managed. For the most part.

Vert then says something about having a buddy in Yukon who would love this place.

Stanford then blows up some rocks and causes a loud noise.

Everyone looks up the cliffs surprised/curious.

"Way to go, Stanford."I say sarcastically.

Suddenly large pieces of Ice and rock come hurtling towards us!

Everyone's maneuvering so the ice and rock won't kill us, but it's difficult considering the ice.

Vert says something about tires and bonding, so I push a button hoping it's the right one.

We make it out of the avalanche alive and yet they still find time to bicker. Seriously, couldn't the avalanche have decked at least one of them?

"H-Hey! I-I-It's the the battle key! Could we grab it and go? It must be 30 below zero here?" says Zoom, shivering from the cold. As much as I love the winter, this level of freezing isn't sitting well for me either.

"Actually, 50 below." Sherman responds. That statement's definitely going to keep us thinking warm thoughts.

"So, unless you want to be a human ice pop better stay in your vehicle! Zoom, Asia, we got the key. You two go home and chill."

"No way. It's my first mission!" I protest. Stupid battlezone! This is so not fair!

"Asia, seriously. Go home and chill." He says forcefully.

"We past chill fifty degrees ago." Zoom says as we head back home.

"I wonder if it's this cold back home!" I say and laugh as Zoom groans about how he hates the cold.

**20 minutes later**

After we were no longer cold, I convinced Zoom to go swimming, since it was an outdoor pool so it'd be warm.

Currently, I'm waiting for Zoom, holding a small pool bag containing a towel, bathing suit, and an ice cold Pepsi Next.

"If you don't hurry up I'm leaving without you!" I call, tapping my foot on the ground impatiently.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Yeesh!" says Zoom as he walks towards me.

"And so is Christmas." I say dryly, hopping onto Eclipse.

We speed of, towards Handlers Corners Community Pool. If you could call Handlers Corners a community. There is like, only 400 residents!

Anyways, when we reached the pool, we parked in the parking lot and I headed to go get changed, while Zoom went to go get some chips from the vending machine.

When I get out of the change rooms, Zoom is already in the pool. I get some stares from a couple of the guys there and I hug my body self-consciously. I absolutely LOATHE attention from strangers for whatever reasons.

Zoom has his back turned so I stop at the edge and cannonball into the water, splashing Zoom so he's soaking.

"Hey! I'm dripping wet" He says, slightly annoyed. But he's smiling so I know he's not too mad.

"It is a pool." I say shrugging in a way so I splash him with even more water

"Stop splashing me!" he whines. I smirk and get out of the pool, only to jump back in and soak him even further.

He looks at me as he moves a piece of his now wet black hair and glares at me and smiles evilly. "This means war."

**Hi everyone! How's life? This was kinda fillerish, but whatever. Deal with it!**

**I think that in about2 or 3 chapters the main baddies will be introduced, and it's not RS5!**

**I'm going to publish the ask and dare before the week is up, so, yeah.**

**PleaseReview! They are my caffine!**

**Also, about that little excerpt getting a few of you nervous, and how it was actually used here.. Yeah. It's ok to rant about what a horrible person I am for doing that. **

**But that's how I roll! **

**-Chocolate**


	8. Chapter 8

**Anything in BOLD is in Thai.**

**Asia's Pov**

I said that I was warming up to the team? Yeah. I had an interesting conversation with Spinner and Stanford.

It's back to square one.

But, personally I'm cool with that. I'm sure we'll communicate just fine once I have my first mission. Things have been pretty slow lately, which translates to not getting to go on my first mission.

Otherwise, Zoom and I have been having an awesome time, hanging around Zeke and such. I think we might be starting to scare Zeke with our "Alien Talk"… Another reason I don't socialize with people.

And I'm hoping that won't change.

Someone knocks on my door, and I set my pen down, placing it on my journal. Swiftly walking towards the door of my room, which is usually locked, I pause to make sure I'm presentable. Black and white tee, black jeans, I'm good.

"Yes?" I ask as I open the door, to Zoom, standing casually in the hall.

"Vert had an idea, and he needs the whole team present."

"This should be interesting." I sigh, stepping out and shutting the door behind me.

In the rec area, the entire team is sitting on the couches.

"Alright, now that everyone's here, we can begin." Vert says standing up, just as Zoom and I sit at the end of a couch.

"It may help if you tell us exactly what we are doing." Comments Stanford, not entirely focused.

"Right, so that mission a day or two ago brought some things to the attention of Sage and I. This team, while close, needs some work in the team building skills department." Starts Vert, casting a pointed glare at Agura and Stanford.

"So , Sage and I thought that some trust and teambuilding exercises are in order. Sage?" continues Vert, motioning for Sage to continue the explanation.

Sage the lists some trust exercises and other things like that, but what really spiked my interest, and everybody else's, was when she mentioned Truth or Dare.

"We can't get to the truth or dare until we finish everything else, ok?" finishes Vert, and we all nod.

This may actually turn out to be fun.

The first activity turns out to be the one where you fall back into someone and they have to catch you.

My first partner ended up being Spinner, who turned away just as I fell. So, it was only fair, that I let him fall onto the floor. We had to do it again, and he had yet to catch me, so this time I pushed him away as he fell.

Most of the team found this hilarious, Vert wasn't too impressed though. At tough, I could have sworn he was trying to hide a smile.

In the end, I let Zoom catch me, and Agura too, but that was on accident. The other times I just cheated or didn't catch me.

I tried to catch the others, and I succeeded, about 97% of the time.

The other activities were cool, and they flew by rather quickly, and finally, it was time for truth or dare.

"Alright, who wants to start?" asks Vert as we all form lopsided circle on the floor.

"I will.' Says Zoom, raising his hand.

"Ok, and remember, let's keep this PG-13. And, everyone gets 3 chickens."Vert says.

Zoom looks around the circle for his victim, and I quietly drink from my soda, hoping to look innocent.

Finally Zoom speaks. "Asia Truth or Dare?"

There goes that plan. "Umm, Truth."

"Favourite Disney movie and why?"

"Really Zoom, is that the best you got/?" says Spinner from the other side of Zoom.

"Hey! It's the best I could think of!"

Fortunately, for me, this one is easy. "Maleficent. It's just amazing."

"Please, I thought it was a bunch of rubbish." Stanford comments, a bit snobbish.

Oh really Stanford? You have it coming then. "Fine then Stanford, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

"If you could go on a date with anyone in the room, who would it be?" I say smiling wickedly, as I see him look around the room nervously. Most of the team were on the verge of cracking up, but next to me, Agura is glaring daggers at Stanford. I have a feeling she is hoping not to be picked.

"I umm… Well you see…. CHICKEN!" Stanford gets out, sighing with relief.

Everyone groans comically.

"Come on Stanford, don't be a killjoy." Says Vert who probably like the rest of us was eager for Stanford's answer.

"Honestly, I don't care as long as he doesn't say me." Agura says coolly, reaching behind her to grab a bag of chips.

"Wasn't planning too," Stanford retorts, "Spinner, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare!" says Spinner boldly.

"I dare you to lick the palm of the player to your right." Says Stanford.

And now, horrified, and apparently a germaphobe turns to the player on his right which happens to be Zoom. Smirking, Zoom rubs the palm of his hand on a spot on the floor which hasn't been cleaned since the day I got here, over a week ago.

Spinner opens his mouth but Stanford interrupts him. "And you can't chicken out!"

Spinner turns to Stanford. "But you did!"

"So what? Just get on with it." I say, taking another sip of my drink.

Spinner groans, and slowly as humanly possible, moves towards Zoom's outstretched hand.

Just a millimeter away now, Agura has whips out her Iphone. I'll have to ask her if I can watch the video later.

At the last possible moment Spinner turns to face the rst of us. "You know-"

"Just do it!" everyone says at the same time. Letting out a soft laugh, I watch intently as Spinner gulps, and licks Zoom's hand.

He stays calm for the time of about 5 milliseconds before he starts freaking out. He runs out screaming something about disinfectant.

I immediately burst out laughing the second he's out of sight, and now everyone's laughing. It takes a few moments to calm everyone down, but we continue the game while Spinner, does whatever Spinners do.

There were a few more rounds, on that stood out was when Sherman gave Vert a piggyback ride around the room, and it was my turn again.

"Asia, Truth or Dare?" asks Agura, before stealing the chip bag from Vert, who makes a grunt of disapproval.

"Dare." I say confidently.

"Play the next round in the lap of the player to your left." Agura says, slightly too cheerful.I just shrug, and that's when I realize, it's Zoom.

Well, this makes everything awkward, won't it.

But, of course, that's not the worse part. Spinner and Stanford seem to find this absolutely wonderful.

"Good job Agura! Next they'll be married!" cries Stanford, laughing.

"I'll marry them! I'll make the vows and everything!" adds on Spinner.

Damn, I'm starting to wish I didn't drop them.

"I'll be best man." Vert says, smiling and playing along with the two.

"I'll do the cooking." Agrees Sherman, and now they're all laughing, and creating wedding plans.

"You are evil." I mutter to Agura.

She shrugs and smiles before replying. " I try."

"Then try a little less next time, would you?" I mutter, and she grins.

Unwillingly, I sit myself in Zoom's lap, positioning myself so he can see and my feet are on the floor by his left leg.

He turns his head, so I can't see his expression. I look down and blush, hoping that no one sees. I suppose that this dare isn't too bad. I mean, I get to sit in a cute boy's lap.

Wait, What? Bad brain! Shut up! He's your best friend! This is awkward. You DON"T LIKE THIS!

Well, maybe…

SHUT UP!

Ok, if arguing with yourself mentally isn't a sure sign of insanity, I don't know what is.

After about 20 seconds, everyone is ready to continue, and my blush is all but faded.

"Vert, Truth or Dare?" I ask.

Vert picks Truth and hesitates before answering my question. He picks Sherman, who quickly answers his Truth.

Sherman starts "I'm going to bend the rules just for a turn. Everyone, Truth or Dare?"

I personally, am hoping everyone picks Truth, but to my dismay, they choose Dare. I want to smack them all, because you never pick dare when the person daring you has an evil look in their eye, like Sherman does now.

"Alright, no chickening out, but, I dare everyone to slow dance to* Insert Cheesy Slow song*."

Immediately, Agura and I lock eyes and nod to each other. It's much less embarrassing for us to dance together then be forced to pick a guy.

"I'm picking the partners." Finishes Sherman, and I inwardly groan. I know who I'm going to be paired with.

" Vert and Agura, Stan and Spin, and Asia and Zoom." He says and pulls out his Iphone, and finds the song.

Everyone groans, and Stan and Spin start bickering about what would be better than dancing then said person. I get off of Zoom, so he can stand up, and we look at each other, not really saying anything as everyone else rises.

Strangely, I find myself being the one to break the silence. "Just a forewarning, but I don't slow dance."

Zoom foldes his arms across his chest. " Don't like dancing?"

I shake my head quickly. "No, the opposite, I just never bothered to enroll in the slow dancing part at the dancing lessons I went too."

"Oh, how come you never told me this?" inquires Zoom, seemingly slightly surprised.

"You just never bothered to ask."

Just as Zoom was about to say something, Sherman looks up. "Everybody, ready." he says and we all prepare, I steal a glance at Agura and Vert to imitate what they do, and place my arms around Zoom's neck, and he puts his arms around my waist.

"Ready?" Zoom asks quietly.

"If you mean ready to pull an elaborate prank to get back on Sherman, then yes." I reply smirking.

"Because that's what I meant." He replies sarcastically.

Glancing around the room, I figure out that no one is really paying attention to us. Sherman is fiddling with the music, Stanford and Spinner are bickering about who's the male and who's the female, and Agura and Vert seem to be talking awkwardly.

"I don't know about you, but I don't want my first slow dance to be like this." I mutter.

He raises his eyebrows, as if asking how we are going to escape.

"In 2 seconds, we quietly run to my room, and lock the door. I have a secret stash of candy, soda and some games that should set us fort awhile." I mutter and he nods.

Moving my arms form around his neck, and he takes his arms from around my waist, I grab his hand. At the perfect moment, we run to the hallway, into my room and lock the door.

Sitting down in the black chair in the corner still holding my hand he asks me.

"Now what?"

**Hi! I'm sorry this took so long! I hope you liked this chapter; it's a bit fluffier then the others. But hey, whatever I included a bit of Zasia in the last part (Zoom/Asia) for a few people who requested it, in the next few chapters except Asia's first mission and the intro for the baddies. Please review! Requests for future interactions, mission's etcetera are wanted/ appreciated! Also, I would still like to know if you are interested in an Ask/Dare. **

** ~Chocolate :)**

**P.S Longest chap yet! Close to 2000 words! Yay! **


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Say it with me: I no own, you no sue, and potatoes are bananas in disguise.**

**This chapter takes place between**

**Asia's POV**

It took all of 20 minutes to come knocking on the door to my room, telling us to come out. I'm not sure whether to laugh at their stupidity, or feel offended that they forgot us.

Definitely laugh at their stupidity.

"OPEN UP," shouts Spinner, "I smell CANDY!"

Snickering, I look at the ginormous pile of candy and sodas sitting in front of us.

"Speaking of which, where did you get all this?" asks Zoom quietly.

"Here, there, Spinner's room." I respond, to Zoom's quiet laughing.

"You have sticky fingers." concludes Zoom, referencing my notorious, and not so legal method of getting things.

"And a sweet tooth." I say, before opening a can of Cherry Cola.

"Guys, this is definitely against the rules. Come out and play the game."

Zoom pretends to think for a minute. "Let's see….How about not."

"You guys can't last in there. You'll have to come out for food eventually." Attempts Agura.

"Actually, we have enough food in here to last a day or two."

"Let's just give up. There is no way in bloody hell that we are getting them out of that room." Stanford sighs.

I hear the shuffling of feet in the hallway after that comment.

Zoom shifts closer to the door, and lies flat on his stomach. This is odd, why is he doing that?

"We are not falling for that." Zoom calls out, which in turn gets groans in response.

I slap my forehead. Duh, it was obvious! It is the oldest trick in the book.

"Seriously, come on, we're not going to be mad." Sherman reasons.

"Speak for yourself." Mutters Spinner.

"I dunno, we like it in here." I say, glancing over to Zoom.

"Yes, very cozy. How come I never got a room like this?" questions Zoom.

I think Vert is going to respond, or attempt yet again to persuade us out. The alarm starts blaring.

_StormShock Approaching in T minus 3 minutes. _

With everything else dropped and forgotten before you could say Saved by the bell, everyone rushes out to his or her vehicles.

Zoom gets up fast as lightening and looks like he's ready to run out, I hold out my hand to stop him.

Counting down to five in my head, I draw my hand back, and quickly open the door, to see no one there.

"I had to make sure this wasn't a trick." I say quietly, before sprinting towards my vehicle.

Vert, Agura, the Cortezes, Stanford, Zoom and I are currently approaching the stormshock, when Sage's voice comes on the radio.

"We are getting some dark frequencies from this stormshock, team. It resembles a scientific inhumation that will play with your memories and emotions. Be careful out there."

"Will do, Sage. C'mon team, lets ride!" responds Vert, and the stormshock lifts are vehicles into the stormshock.

On the inside, I am absolutely bursting with excitement about actually going on my first mission.

Once we are through the portal, one thought immediately pops into my mind, the second I look at the area.

Talking plants in wonderland.

The battlezone is an oversized meadow, with the grass looking like trees, and the flowers looking like skyscrapers. Honestly, I won't be all that surprised if they suddenly burst into song. We are on a large flat stone that gives us a good view of the area. There are clear dirt paths over the entire area and up way in the sky is a giant oak tree, towering over us, looking taller than the Eiffel tower. It blocks most of the sun, covering most of the ground in shadows.

Shadows. Something turns in my stomach, and I immediately curse in Thai quietly. Too many shadows, they absolutely taunt me, just waiting for me to break and use the powers locked away inside.

Great. Now I am starting to sound like Elsa from Frozen.

Opposite from us, is another flat stone, almost identical to ours in shape. A portal opens and out comes the aliens from when I stumbled into a battlezone after stealing Zoom's bike. I am still not quite sure if he has fully forgiven me.

"Alright team. We should stick together for the first bit, then start heading in separate directions." Commands Vert, as we all head off from our starting position.

"Actually, Vert, I think that I should start looking for the key off road, because I doubt that this zone will be easy." Says Agura.

Vert nods as he maneuvers on the path. "That's a good idea. If you aren't having any luck on the ground, I'll send out Zoom to search the skies, and Asia to flank the Vandals." He replies and Agura quickly turns off the path and into the green.

Since I was behind her, I watch as the Tangler disappears off the road. For some reason, I get a sense of dread in my stomach. As always, my face is still a stone cold mask. It is a habit I cannot break, at least when I was not dancing. It has kept me alive, but that does not stop me from feeling the dread and sense of fear for my only female comrade on the team.

The path widens, and Zoom pulls ahead so we are next to one another. He shoots me a look, asking if I am feeling the bad feeling as well.

Confident in my abilities to read his facial expressions and emotions, I nod my response. Knowing he shares the same feeling, my sense of dread only grows stronger.

Coming to as sudden stop, the scream pierces the air, demanding to be heard. The dread turns into fear, because, even though I have not known them for long, the voice is unmistakable.

Agura's in dnager.

"Agura! Agura, what is going on? Answer me!" he yells into the comm, desperate for an answer. However, she does not respond. Vert's expression turns into one mixed of anger and fear, he obviously cares deeply for her.

"Alright, the Buster and I are going after Agura and whoever, or whatever has her. Stanford, focus on getting the battle key so we can get the heck out of here." He quickly turns to the youngest members of the team, Zoom and I. " You two, stay close to Stanford, whatever is here is very dangerous," another scream from Agura gets Vert on alert and empathizes his point. "If there is trouble, take to the sky and go through the portal. Save yourselves, we should follow. Now go!"

He spits out the last two words with such force that everyone starts moving again, and the Buster and Saber go off with such speed I did not realize was possible.

"Alright you two, we should stick to the paths and avoid off. And do whatever I say, got it, because I'm in charge." Even in the threat of danger, Stanford's ego still rules over all.

I want to crack a joke at his remark, to lighten the mood a bit, but the words do not get past my lips. They have known her much longer than me; they must be feeling much worse.

We take a sharp turn only to hear a loud roar. We keep moving, but I can smell it before I can see it. Quick thinking, and reflexes as fast as lighting, I slam down on the button that turns me, and my bike invisible.

Rounding another bend, my instincts are right. There stood the Vandals, minus one. I do not quite remember their names, but the leader, the croc and the scorpion are all in their vehicles, poised to attack. I am hoping that they cannot sense me, and I can slip past them.

"Well, look at the slime that just rolled up." One of them snarls.

" Krocomodo! They are much too ugly to be slime." Replies another, to the amusement of the other two.

I really hate these ones.

Zoom fires back "Well, have you looked in the mirror lately? Because I wouldn't be saying that if I was you."

Stanford snickers, and I hold back my own laughter.

The Vandals did not appreciate his line, and everyone looks like they are ready to clash. When, when a sudden, piercing, shrieking noise, makes everything stop. I quickly cover my ears, in hopes to block it out. The noise, sounds like multiple variations of screams, and yells, and cries for help. Both sides, seem to panic, and they spread out, in different directions, calling out for people. I do not hear who they are, their names blending together.

Just like that, I am alone.

What am I going to do? I have no clue where the key is, and my teammates are gone? There is nothing to use as a ramp to get into the air. I have no clue where I am. This is a disaster!

Collecting myself, I head northeast, along a path with tracks on it. I hope that these will take me to the key, or at least close to it. I wonder where everyone else is? Are they ok? Are they hurt? What if they are all injured, or unconscious, or captured, or dying or… I stop, before I bring myself to say the worst possibility of all.

Unlike earlier, the battlezone is dead quiet, as, nothing is making a sound. In fact, it is too quiet. What is in this battle zone? How can it be deafening yet quieter than a mouse in the span of ten minutes?

The tracks on the dirt path veer off into the green grass, taking down some of the grass with it. I pause for a moment, debating in my head whether I should follow the tracks or continue on the path. I decide to follow the path some more, then see what I can discover in the greenery.

Quickly, I rack my brain for possibilities of giveaways as to where the key might be hiding. In a maze, the dead center, in an ocean, in seaweed, or perhaps an island. In a racetrack, the finish line, and sometimes…

At the corner of my eye, a side path catches my eye, not the path itself, but…

It glows.

I do a sharp turn and head towards the glowing light, hoping that I have accidently stumbled upon the battle key. The trail is small and narrow, and within the span of a minute, I find myself at a dead end.

With no glow in sight.

"Really?" I say aloud, annoyed that I had followed a trick of the light. I disable the invisible skin, or whatever Sage called it, on my bike and me, and step off. I take a few steps, wanting a closer look, when a huge bright, flashing, blinding light takes over my vision.

Then all I see is black.

I am not unconscious, I still feel awake. However, everything, the battlezone, my bike all that is gone. Slightly scared, I look down, to my relief, see that I can see my body, and I am intact.

A whitish glow appears a bit in front of me, and that glow stretches across, and takes over some of the dark. It begins to change, and shift, and reform, until a woman, a ghostly woman, is standing in front of me. Her dress is long and bellowing, and the bottom in tatters, and when she speaks, and eerie chill works its way through my spine.

"Shadow, how nice to see you, how unkind of you to spoil my fun."

" I didn't do anything." I retort, slightly confused.

" That's the thing, you did nothing, and I am not blessed to hear your screams. Your friends, however, their screams may make up for it." She continues cooly.

"What did you do to them?! Answer!" I snap, a new form of fear crashing down on me in waves.

"Simple.I used their emotions, theirs fears, to make them believe tht their loved ones, the ones who they care for from the bottom of their hearts, are in danger, dying, and there is nothing they can do. So they scream in fear, in anger, in pain. It's wonderful to hear." She explains, twirling around in an elegant way.

I want to say how cruel and evil that is, but I am used to both. But my friends, hearts breaking in to pieces like mine did, before I learned, I don't know what to think…

"But you, you built up your walls, And the walls are strong, they will not cave." She says, barely any emotion flowing from her ghostly voice.

"Not since your parents. However, what fun is it to watch people scream, when they have already seen it, repeatedly in their nightmares. You don't even react to it the same." She says, sighing, as if I had planned this from the start.

I want to say something, but she beats me too it. "Look, since this won't lead anywhere, listen up. I am going to give you the battle key, and transport you and your friends to earth. As long as you come back, so we can talk. Deal?"

I simply nod, not wanting to screw things up.

She makes the key appear from thin air and hands it to me, clapping her hands together.

Suddenly, everyone, all seven of us, are in the middle of the salt flats, not making a sound.

"What happened?" Asks, no, commands Vert in a tone that implies you had better give him his answer.

Sighing mentally, I recount everything that had happened in the battlezone, leaving out the parts of the discussion I had about my past, turning it to, she got bored, gave me the key and sent us home.

Vert still looks unconvinced, but it's Spinner who is the next to speak. " That is one crazy first official mission. In celebration, let's get Pizza!"

No one argues, and they all get back into their vehicles. Although, underneath, everyone, including me, seems shaken up.

Just before I put my helmet on, I manage to overhear a small snippet of conversation of Vert and Aguras.

"I still don't get it. How did Asia do it?" ask Vert, shaking his head.

In my head, I answer him.

It is simple. There is no one left who I love with everything I have.

**And CUT! Yay for dramatic endings! I'm sorry that I have not updated since November, but I hope the length of this makes up for it! Seriously, this is 2500 words and 9 pages long! This is the most I have ever written for a chapter! I don't think I will be able to do it again, so sorry if you preferred this length. The holidays are coming up, and schools out soon, so I should get another chapter up before 2015. Hopefully. Let me know how I can improve and if I can get the characters more in character. Please review and follow! That would be super nice! **

**: ) : ) : ) : ) :) **

**-Chocolate**


	10. Chapter 10

**Any dialogue in BOLD is in Thai**

**Asia's POV**

"Of course out of all the battle zones he could of sent us too, Zemerick just had to send us too this one!" Zoom complains, sliding closer to the wall of the cavern, shivering.

"Maybe he felt that you needed a slap in the face from karma." I say nonchalantly, referring to an incident earlier in the day.

He glares at me. "One, he wouldn't have known, two I was just testing something you said, and three, you don't feel temperatures, because if you did, you would hate winter and be suffering with me right now."

"Ok, as that 'test' proved I do, I am not inhumanly invincible to the cold, or the heat, and it was still uncalled for. So yeah, you do deserve this." I respond, more coldly than I had originally meant.

"Honestly it wasn't that big of a deal." He mutters, looking at the rocky floor.

"Oh was it? Well not like you know anything." I respond, turning my back to him.

" Oh, you too now? I never thought you would go that low." he snaps.

"Shut your trap." I mumble. He mutters some curses in Thai, but I choose to ignore him. And just to think this morning, instead of fighting, we were closer then ever.

**\- EARLIER THAT DAY...**

Groaning, I cover my ears, and curl up on the couch in the rec room a little tighter. The sounds of yet another argument fill the room. I wonder who is arguing this time. Peeking over the couch, this time I see it is Agura and Vert.

"I agree with you on one level, but that is not how you go about it!" Agura places her hands on her hips, glaring at the blonde.

"It is none of your business!" he snaps.

"Oh, it is so my business. What if that law gets passed? September is two weeks away, and your idea is going to land us in jail." she snaps back, glaring at him.

"We wont get caught." Vert tries, folding his arms in front of him.

"Yes we will. You know what, whatever. Do whatever the hell you want!" she yells, stalking out of the room.

Vert mutters curses under his breath, before leaving himself.

I sit back down, rubbing my temples. What a great time to have a headache and a fever. Honestly, in all the time I have been here, I have never seen Agura yell at someone like that. And I have never heard Vert snap like that.

I feel like the entire team is arguing. And arguing means fights, and fights mean 2 things. Fist fights, which may or may not be bad. Or yelling, and yelling means noise and memories. And memories are bad!

Either way, for me it is a, lose or lose situation. With no end in sight.

Sighing, I go back to what I was doing, thinking while staring into oblivion. Sighing, I go back to what I was doing, thinking and staring into oblivion.

Of course, since it's me who is trying to do something, I get interrupted, again. This time, Zoom leans over the edge of the coach, smiling down at me, some of his black hair falling out of his headband and falling over a bit of his left eye.

"Hey sleeping beauty." He says cheekily. I roll my eyes and turn to glare at him.

"I was not sleeping. And what do you want?" I sigh, annoyed that people or things keep getting in the way of my recovering.

"Do I need a reason now to talk to my bestfriend?" he replies, still smiling that annoying smile of his when he knows he is bugging me.

I mutter a yes and rub my aching forehead. He frowns slightly and continues talking. "How is the recovery going?"

" It would be going better if you would stop talking, better yet, everyone in this damn building stop talking and avoid this room." I groan, resting my head on a square fluffy pillow.

He leaps over the edge of the couch and sits on the cushion not occupied by me. " Why aren't you in your room?"

" AC broke, Sage is hibernating and I decided not to wake her up, she hasn't gotten a wink of sleep in the last few days. Sherman hasn't gotten around to fixing it yet." I reply wearily. Honestly I wish he would just shut up and let me rest.

" The medical bay?"

" Spinner dropped some sort of experiment Sage and Sherman were working on that they stored in there. It's a mess, it caused a lot of wrecked stuff and broke things, and that's what Sherman is working on right now. Are you done with the questions now?"

" I dont know, am I bothering you?"

"Yes."

" Well then no, no I am not done."

"You suck."

"I know."

"Worst. Best friend. Ever."

" I try."

Groaning, I cover my ears and shut my eyes tightly, forehead throbbing more than ever. I really want Sage to wake up, or Sherman to finish, and the super quick feel better sentient medicine to kick in. So I can freely hit Zoom, because at the moment, I have no energy whatsoever.

"I think Sherman is almost done, and your fever will go away." He says, and his voice suggests he is sorry for bugging me.

"Great," I say smiling at the news, and then I yawn and continue, "Now shut up and let me sleep, I am tired."

"Fine." He sighs quietly, and I close my eyes and let blissful sleep take its hold.

After a few minutes, I am only half awake, when I feel a light blanket draped over me. A voice whispers "Night sleeping beauty."

And then I fall into the heavy hands of sleep.

**Zoom's POV**

Smiling, I quietly leave the rec room, and speaking from experience, it is not a good idea to wake Asia up when she is sick and sleeping.

Suddenly really thirsty, I slip into the kitchen to grab a pop. Hopefully we still have some in the fridge; we do burn through a lot of caffeinated drinks.

The lighting in the kitchen is brighter, and everything looks warmer in colour. I don't know why I notice, I just do. But that doesn't even make sense to me.

Opening the fridge door, I scan through the contents. Most of the contents is healthy things, and I definitely not in the mood for that. I mean, it is only 11:25 in the morning, there is time to make up for polluting my body with sugars.

Of the pop that we have, there is a diet cola, cola, A&amp;W root beer, and Pepsi Next, which belongs solely to Asia. The rest of us wouldn't touch it.

Picking a Coca-Cola, I close the door, and find Vert leaning on the kitchen counter.

"Uh, hi?" ask, more then slightly confused as to what he wants. I mentally check to see if I did anything to anger him, but this time, nothing comes to mind. It is not like we don't talk often, heck, to me it is like we are brothers. But lately, everyone seems off and quick to anger.

"What's up?" He says casually, almost too chill for there to be nothing wrong.

"Nothing, at least right now anyways, you?" I reply, opening my pop and taking a drink.

"Not much, Agura and I are having a arguing, but nothing too major. Where is Asia?" he says, standing up.

Wait, what? Why is he suddenly asking about Asia? "She is on the rec room couch, sleeping off her fever. Her ac broke, and the whole mess with the med bay kind of left her with no options. Why?" I respond warily, waiting for the reason for the sudden curiosity.

"Well, Asia is new, and it seems like she I trying her hardest to not talk to us. Do you know why?" He responds, wording his question carefully.

"To be honest, not really. She has just always been like that. When we were younger, she maybe talked to, like, 3 people."

"Are you sure? I want to know if were doing something to drive her away. Our first meeting wasn't all that great for first impressions."

"Even if I did, I think that might be something she should say herself. But, although I might be wrong, I think she feels a little left out. I mean, she has been on the team for maybe three weeks, less even. And the rest of us have known each other for months now." I respond, confident that I knew her well enough to get this right.

Pausing for a moment, he nods his head and replies. "You are probably right; I'll have to do something about it. Thanks."

And then I had a brilliant idea. Not only should I get her to talk to the others, I should pull some strings to get something that happened to all of us at one point or another.

"No problem Vert. Anything else? I need to go find Spinner."

**One Hour Later….**

**Asia's POV **

Stirring from my, thankfully, dreamless sleep, I open my eyes to find that I am alone in the rec room. On the coffee table, Stanford left one of his mirrors, for who knows what he was using it for in here. I pick it up to check my face to see if I still looked sick, and if anyone drew on my face.

I toss the blanket off of me and drape it over the couch. Rising, I feel infinitely better the I did earlier.

I hear footsteps, and turn to the see the blonde leader of our team entering.

Please don't talk to me. I am not here. Just move so I can leave.

"Hey Asia."

Crap.

"Hi." I say quietly, looking anywhere then the person speaking to me.

"What's up?" he asks me, smiling.

"The ceiling." I respond dryly, not elaborating or any effort to answer the actual question.

He laughs, and I feel pressured to actually answer. "No, but really, how are you?"

"Good." Is the solitary one word answer I offer him.

Moments pass in silence, until Vert speaks again. "So, how are you adjusting to life as apart if the team?"

To be honest, I've been faring pretty well. The drop everything and run when the battlezone alarm goes on is still taking some getting used to. Eclipse is getting way easier to control, I feel like I'm getting better in the battlezones and training, and hell, I'm speaking to someone. I JOKED with someone, that I don't really know too well, that I haven't met before. I haven't done that in so long now. I really like this, I feel like this could be a fresh start for me, a permanent escape.

But, I won't say that. That's too much information. Too many words, and way to many ways to manipulate and use my words against me. So I stick to my short answers.

"I'm adjusting well, and I like doing this." I feel like that sums up my thoughts pretty well in less then 10 words.

"That is really great to here." He smiles at me, and I'm lost as to how to respond. I really don't understand him, and that doesn't even make sense to me.

I have only one question though, and I think he wants me to ask before he jumps into the reason. "Is there something you need?"

"Actually there is, and please don't hate me." And here is the heart of the conversation.

"I make no promises." I reply.

"Well, Battle Force 5 is built on trust, understanding and communication. And it feels like you are kind of isolating yourself from that."

"Because there has been _so_ much of that lately." The words are dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, you have a point, but aside from that, why?"

"I don't do so good with communicating."

"Well, maybe we could work to change that. Do you think you can try to talk to the others? If we can't communicate in the battlezones, then someone is going to get hurt." He explains, and it makes sense to me. But if that is the case, then its not just me who needs to do some working.

"Then maybe we should all work on that, none of us can talk without argueing right now." I point out, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. The argueing is like a chain of evil, pulling everyone down into its grips.

"I think you are right. I'll talk to Sage, maybe she has some ideas…" he trails off, sinking into his own thoughts, leaving me to stand awkwardly waiting for him to talk again.

He turns to leave, but not before addressing me one last time. "Thanks for the help Asia!"

Uhhhh…. "Your welcome?" I say, but he is already gone.

**Later**

The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. It hangs above everyone, sitting rigidly, as far from each other as the room lets us.

If I felt like it,I could map out who is fighting.

Agura and Stanford are fighting, again. Stanford has angered Spinner who is bickering with Sherman who is having a disagreement with Sage who isn't entirely pleased with Vert right now, who he and Agura are at a stand off.

It kind if goes full circle, and the only ones who aren't involved are Zoom and I. I cant really fight with anyone without engaging in socialising, and I have no idea how Zoom has stayed out of the whole team disagreement.

The entire team now assembled in the rec room, Vert takes the lead andd begins talking. " Alright, I think everyone agrees that at the moment, we aren't working well together, and tthat is not good. We need to solve this, right here, right now."

People begin groaning but Vert isn't done yet. " This is crucial, we need to work as a team or earth is doomed. I want everyone to say who they are upset with, why, and to apologize for something they did."

Yes, I don't have to talk! Im not mad at anyone.

" And Asia, I want you to tell us a bit more about yourself." Vert finishes.

Great. Just freaking fantastic.

"Who wants to go first?"

**(Magical Time skip of Magic)**

So far, this has been going really well. People are beginning to relax, and the tension is beginning to evaporate.

And then its my turn to talk.

Everyone's looking at me, and I feel like a deer caught in the headlights. I have no idea where to start, to form words and I think I forgot how to speak English. I know they can use whatever I say against me. Some good guess work is all it takes for my secret to come spilling out.

From beside me, Zoom whispers under his breath in Thai, just loud enough for only me to hear.

"**Tell them your favourite colour, and your favourite season. Start with that."**

I nod, and begin to talk. "My favourite colour is blue, and I don't really have a favourite season. I guess winter, but I don't really feel temperatures in a way. They don't bother me."

"Im confused, what do you mean?" Spinner asks me.

"Well, it could be really hot outside, and it wouldn't bug me very much. Same with cold temperatures."

"Lets test it out then!" Zoom exclaims. I turn around, but he is not next to me.

The next thing I know is Im blasted with cold water, catching me and those around me, namely Agura and Spinner. My hair is plastered to my face, and my teeth chatter.

I turn to see a triumphant and laughing Zoom emerge into my line of sight. He is holding a large bucket, which still has water dripping from it.

"What the heck was that for?" I snap, glaring at the raven haired scout.

A british accented voice answers me." Oh cheer up love. It's a prank, we do them all the time! Besides, you said you don't feel temperatures. By the way Agura, love what you did with your hair." Stanford laughs

"I don't think her range of not feeling tempratures includes the likes of sewer water." Zoom laughs.

" SEWER WATER!" shrieks Spinner.

" Shut up Stanford!" snaps Agura

"That's not what I meant." I hiss.

"Come on Asia. Don't go crazy about it." He says, putting his arm around my shoulders.

That is the last straw. Yanking myself away from his arm, not even hesitating and quivering with rage, I use all my strength to punch him in the face.

And all hell breaks loose.

Zoom stumbles back, clutching his face where I hit him. Yelling is all I hear around me, the tension replaced with anger,

"Why did you fricking punch me?" he yells at me, dropping his hand from my face so I see the damage. There is a bruise close to his right eye, which is already bleeding.

" Why did you pour freezing cold water on me?"

"Because that's what we do here, but since you refuse to talk to anyone because you have some problem with them, I guess you wouldn't know." He fires back

"That is not true and you know it." I seethe.

"Well that's what everyone else thinks!" he retorts.

They think that? Do they really think that I have a problem with them? That is not it at all! I feel terrible now. I never meant to hurt them, no, actually, I think we are friends, for the most part.

"Everyone!" Sage calls loudly, and the fighting come to a halt.

"This is immature, and not how a team should act, I am very disappointed in all of you. While I am not going to lie and say I wasn't disagreeing with some people, I didn't attack them!" Sage says sharply, casting a pointed glare at me when she said attack.

"Zoom, go to the medical bay and clean up your wound. Asia, go and help, and dry yourself off while you are at it. Then the two of you can clean the medical bay." Sage orders.

"But it was cleaned this morning!"

"No buts! Agura, you dry off as well, and then you, Stanford, and Vert, will make the rec room spotless. Same goes to you Spinner and then you r and Sherman, fix up the garage. No Zeke's tonight, and the only way you get out of cleaning, temporarily, is if a stormshock opens. Do I make myself clear?" continues Sage.

"Oh come on Sage! We are not children! We don't need to be punished for arguing. It's stupid!" complains Stanford, folding his arms.

"It is completely necessary and it seems to be the only way you will learn. And for that remark, Stanford, you can clean the windows as well. Get working everyone!" orders Sage, and everyone shuffles of to work.

**( Last Time Skip, Promise)**

Cleaning is always gruelling work. It's time consuming, hard, not very fun, and there is a million and 1 other things you would rather be doing.

But is especially challenging when you basically want to snap the neck of who you are working with.

And the feeling is mutual.

Picking up the green cloth again, I continue to wash the counter.

" Pass the Lysol." I hear him mutter, and I glance at the bottle to my right.

" Why?"

" Just do it." He grinds out.

"Well, I don't like to do things without reason. Can't say the same thing about you though."

" Just pass the fricking Lysol."

"No." I respond.

" I hate you." He retorts, not even glancing in my general direction while he says it.

"Right back at you." I toss the bottle at him, and he catches it before it made contact with his face.

"Why the heck did you chuck it at my face?"

" Oh I don't know, because Im mad at you?"

"Im mad at you, and I not throwing things at you."

"Right, your more inclined to pour things."

"I'm not the one who punched me in the face!"

I whirl around to face him, cleaning forgotten. But just as I am about to talk, the stormshock alarm goes off.

We both charge off to were our vehicles and suits are kept. Zoom shoves me out of the way and I careen to the side, nearly smacking my chin off the wall.

" Hey!" I shout, but he is already gone.

By the time we reach the stormshock, nobody is talking, save for Vert occasionally giving short orders to the rest of us.

The battlezone itself is a little odd. There seems to be a million things floating listlessly above us, and we are the only things on the ground.

"Alright, Asia, I want you to find out who were going up against, and what this zone has to offer." Orders Vert, but I have other things on my mind.

"Actually, I think they found us." I say pointing to where the sark leap out , being lead by Zemerick and Zug.

" Sark." I here someone say maliciously. Zoom pulls up beside me, and I half wonder if he said it.

" Battle force 5, this is an entirely excepted surprise. But was an excellent opportunity to use my new creation." He drones, and quick as lightning pulls out a metal gun shaped object aimed at Zoom and I. I don't even have time to panic before I am out cold.

When I come back to consiousnes, I instantly shiver. Looking up, I notice that it looks like it is about to snow, really hard. My surroundings look like the Artic, from what I've seen in pictures anyways.

And it hits me. We are in the ice battlezone, the one that was 50 degrees below zero.

Pulling myself into a sitting position, I look for anyone, anything. But I think I'm alone.

" Finally woke up, sleeping beauty?" A mocking voice says, and I instantly know that I am not alone.

"Now, Zoom?" I sigh, glaring at him.

"While you were catching up on your beauty sleep, I've scouted the area, before the Chopper ran out of fuel. There is a cave just north of here, we should take shelter there."

"Fine." I attempt to get up, but a screaming pain in my leg stops me, and I fall back to the ground. " What happened to my leg?"

"Whatever Zemerick's new toy is, it made us fall from the sky, and you came down first, and Eclipse came down on your leg. Aleast tats what I think happened, I wasn't awake pretty beaten up." He told me, and for a second, his voice seemed to soften.

"Fantastic." I sigh, and once again try to pull myself up, and this time Zoom pulls me up, tossing me a long, sturdy, snow covered branch. I shake the snow off of it, and test it.

"Our bikes are trashed, no use taking them with us." He says, beginning to walk in the direction of the cave, with the wind beginning to howl.

"Wait!" I call, and turn to my poor bike, and open the seat, and picking up a small makeshift sack made from a plaid blanket.

He looks at the sack curiously. "What's inside?"

"Some granola bars, a bottle of water, blanket, lighter and 20 bucks."

"That will be useful. Nice to see you aren't entirely stupid."

" Oh come on! Can we argue when we are back at the hub?" I groan.

He mutters something, but I don't hear it over the wind, which is now threatening to try and topple us over. And with nothing but the wind for noise, we head to the cave in silence.

With every step, the snow seems to get deeper and harder to walk in. It has been at least 30 minutes now, my leg is screaming in pain, and Im absolutely exhausted.

And it seems like we are no closer to the cave then we were when we started.

My makeshift walking stick doesn't seem to be helping, Zoom is a mile ahead but he seem s to be running into problems too.

Not to mention its freezing cold, and we seem to be the only living things for miles.

And the shadows, there are millions of them. I don't want to lose control, and I cant let him see, as much as I hate him at the moment, I don't want him to die.

In this moment, wrapped up in my thoughts, I trip on something, lose my balance, and come crashing down to the ground, landing on my bad leg, sending a whole new wave of pain crashing through me.

I squeeze my eyes shut and try not to scream or cry or both. I hear feet running , and I feel myself picked up off the ground, before, once again, I lose touch with reality.

This time, I find myself in a cave, and in relief I find myself smiling.

"You know, at first I thought you were lazy, or tired or acting, because you are not this fragile. But its your leg, its getting worse. Sage is going to have to take a look at it when we get back." Zoom, says, passing me a granola bar.

"If we make it back." I reply gloomily, munching on the snack.

"But you know what bugs me? He chose the cold one." Zoom starts.

"Of course out of all the battle zones he could of sent us too, Zemerick just had to send us too this one!" Zoom complains, sliding closer to the wall of the cavern, shivering.

"Maybe he felt that you needed a slap in the face from karma." I say nonchalantly, referring to an incident earlier in the day.

He glares at me. "One, he wouldn't have known, two I was just testing something you said, and three, you don't feel temperatures, because if you did, you would hate winter and be suffering with me right now."

"Ok, as that 'test' proved I do, I am not inhumanly invincible to the cold, or the heat, and it was still uncalled for. So yeah, you do deserve this." I respond, more coldly than I had originally meant.

"Honestly it wasn't that big of a deal." He mutters, looking at the rocky floor.

"Oh was it? Well not like you know anything." I respond, turning my back to him.

" Oh, you too now? I never thought you would go that low." he snaps.

"Shut your trap." I mumble. He mutters some curses in Thai, but I choose to ignore him.

Then, something at the back of the cave catches my eye. It's shiny, and I cant look away. What is it, I wonder. Using the wall of the cave to stabilize myself, I slowly make my way to the back.

"Asia, what are you doing?" Zoom questions, getting up from where he was sitting and momentarily forgetting that he wasn't talking to me.

"I think I saw something back there." I say, pointing to the very back, in the dark corner.

"Lets find out." He says, and pulls me over, reaching the wall faster then I would of if I kept up my pace.

"Its really dark back here." I comment.

" Thanks captian obvious."

"Your welcome sergeant sarcastic."

Suddenly, as though someone turned on a light switch the dark washed away oin an instant. I jumped back, hissing in pain. 

"Weird…" I say. Eyeing our surroundings warily.

"There is writing on the wall, and someone made a perfect circle indent in the wall."

'Read it!" I urge him.

" _At zero Zero, not on either side is the gateway_

_Place your hand on the wall, and what you need will come_

_But keep an open eye, for the door will swing open_

_And hey will find you."_

Neither of us say anything for a moment. " That's, kind of creepy."

"No kidding. And it'll give us what we need? So, it's a pizza maker?" Zoom jokes, and we both laugh.

And then, in that moment, it all catches up to me. How I've been treating him, our stupid arguments, and punching him for what now seems like no reason at all.

"Zoom, I want to apologize, for punching you, arguing, and for all around being a horrible friend."

"Same here, I shouldn't have poured water on you, and being really rude. The only reason I pulled the prank on you is because we do it all the time. I thought you felt you weren't included.

I shake my head. " The only reason it seems I'm not included is because of my choices, Im not a social person by nature."

Then I smile. "Come on; place your hand on the wall. Maybe it'll send us home."

Carefully he places his hand in the circle indent, which lights up for few seconds, before it went back to normal.

"I don't think anything happened." I say.

"Wait, do you hear that?" he questions, and we both fall silent, listening.

And sure enough, just above the wind, I hear calls of "Asia! Zoom!"

"We're saved!" I say excitedly, beaming.

Zoom grabs my hand and pulls me to the mouth of the cave, towards our team.

**Meanwhile…**

She runs towards him, a malicious smile on her face. Shadows fall dramatically across them both in the dark room, without even a single source of light, yet they bpth could see perfectly fine even woth limited light.

"It's like, finally happened. It's opened." She tells him

He grins wickedly, already envisioning the opportunities. " Great. I've been thinking of a change of scenery. This place feels a little…" he pauses for effect, as if he were choosing his next word carefully. "Negative."

They both laugh, the sound echoing all around them.

**14 pages! That is how long this chapter is! I doubt I will ever write this much in one chapter again! Ok, so Im very sorry for not updating in months, I feel really guilty about that. But, I should have chapter 11 out next week. But for the rest of the weekend, I plan on taking a break from writing. On another note, the next chapter of Tracked Down should be coming out soon!**

**Also, I want to give a quick shout out to Rebloxic, the awesome person I'm collabing with for Tracked Down, an the only person to review all of my chapters so far for this! You rock!**

**By the way, on teletoon, Battle Force 5 is airing again, they have been showing Season 2 I believe, and was shown in a new commercial for teletoon. Its probably nothing, but I don't know, it gets my hopes up for a season 3 or a reboot or maybe even an English release of the movie.**

**That's all for now!**

** ~ Chocolate**


	11. Chapter 11

**Who's a bad person? I'm a bad person. Who's going to update more? I'm going to update more. Who's going to read and review? You're going to read and review. Who's going to shut up? I'm going to shut up. **

**Takes place in episode 19 of season 1.**

**Asia's POV**

When all else fails, turn to the news channel.

Draped on the couch in a sleepy and comfortable mood, Zoom and I stare blankly at the screen, occasionally making remarks on the stories or different characters involved.

Yawning, I lean my head on his shoulder, knowing he wouldn't make me move. I had my legs stretched out on the couch, the one I injured last week feeling better, but stiff. Vert told me this morning I could go into the next battlezone as I have basically made a full recovery.

Looking over my shoulder, I see Zoom smirking at something on the show. Even with what feels like a half working rain, I can't help but focus on the details. Like how brown his eyes are, like they're made of chocolate. Or the shape of his lips, and why I would notice that I don't know. Or that smile he gets on his face when someone genuinely praises him or stands up for him. It's adorable.

What am I doing? I never focused on this stuff before, but I can't help it and I don't know why and I can't stop thinking about it! After the events of last week I think I really value his friendship and company more.

I'm suddenly really aware of the muscles I was leaning on. And the fact, which I've never really seen before even though we reconnected over 2 months ago; is that Zoom is really, really attractive.

My face heats up and I move a part of my raven black hair so it cover must of my face.

I need to get a grip. I'm just tired and light-headed, and I'm not thinking straight, I probably won't even think about it tomorrow. I look at the time on my newly bought phone, which is 6:01.

" It's so …. Quiet, and really peaceful. Where is everyone?" I ask quietly.

"They are all here; I guess everyone is enjoying a quiet night. Wait, actually, Stanford's out with Grace. But that's it." He replies.

"Cool. I was wondering, usually Spinner has stolen the tv by now and is playing one of his stupid video games." I say. As of recently, I've been trying really hard to talk to and care for my teammates, and I am very proud of myself.

"Don't let him hear you say that, or he'll show you what is stupid. You could use that lesson" Zoom laughs to himself as he says that.

"I'd like to see him try." I scoff, but smile despite myself.

I swiftly unlock my phone, digging into my pocket to get my earbuds, plugging them in, and turning on some music.

Zoom glances at me and says playfully. "Is that your Justin Beiber music?"

"Hell no, I don't like pop music, and especially not his stuff."

"Oh, I see. It's the new One Direction album, isn't it."

I told him that 1D could do something physically impossible to themselves in Thai.

"Okay then, feisty much. So, what are you listening to then?" he asks.

"My Chemical Romance's Black Parade. I've got a lot of that sort of stuff on here, Panic! At The Disco, Fallout Boy, Green Day, Nirvana, Paramore, Evanescence. Lots of punk and alternative and stuff."

"So, emo music? That's fitting for you." He smirks.

"Call it whatever you want, I'll call it good music." I retort.

Interrupting us is the stormshock alarm, blaring loudly. We bolt out of the rec room and towards our vehicles. As I run, I turn lock my phone and as I pass my room, pause and toss it on my bed, entering my room before closing the door.

**(Later)**

After a successful fight against the Vandals, we're racing back to where we would open our portal, Stanford having taken the key. To be honest, I felt that the Vandals hadn't put up much of a fight, although the one I now know is called Hatch really doesn't like me, tried his best to push me off a cliff, which was trying, a bit too hard or my likening though. But he disappeared halfway through.

It's probably nothing. I'm just imagining things.

Vert orders us as we are about to drive, or more accurately jump over these floating rock platform… things. "Get ready guys. Agura, Cortez brothers, Stanford, you go first."

"What kind of guy gives a ticket for playing music." Stanford complains, obviously hung up over something the local Sherriff did, for what seems like the millionth time.

"Oh, shut up will you?" I say, rolling my eyes, following the first three with Zoom and Vert.

When Stanford reaches the largest one, he opens the portal to earth and zips inside of it, the rest of us in tow.

We all skid to a stop in the desert outside of the portal, and Stanford get out, putting his hand out for the battle key. Normally, the key would fly into his hand and the portal would close. But this time, the green glowing portal stayed open, and nothing happened.

"It won't close, it's frozen open!" Stanford calls, pointing out the obvious.

Agura turns, and responds in amazement. "Or more like frozen in time!" She points to where an Eagle and Snake are locked in mid air, in fighting positions, not moving an inch.

We all speak in awe, and I state. "I don't think this is good." Although the snake wont get eaten, as fast anyways.

Leaping out of our rides, we walk over to Standofrd to inspect the portal.

"Creepy." Spinner says, shuddering.

"This beam froze the portal open in some sort of time stasis field," Sherman reports, as I try to grasp what he is saying exactly, "Gotta be the work of Hatch."

"Well we better seal it before the Vandals can swarm through." Agura responds, looking over her shoulder at Vert.

"Asia, you and I are going back in to try and shut down this beam. Everyone else, defend the portal."

"Oh, easy as pie. We'll just hold off the entire Vandal army." Stanford retorts, sarcasm evident in his words.

"Only a few Vandals at a time can get through the portal. So they'll come in small waves." I point out.

"And when they come through, we keep them contained, ram them into that moat. Not a single vandal makes it to that pass." Adds on Agura pointing south of us to the pass that would lead to the small town of Handlers Corners.

"Let's go!" calls out Vert, I leap back onto Eclipse, swiftly putting my black and silver helmet back on, before charging out after Vert and toward the portal and imminent danger.

Which always proves to be fun.

Sticking to the large cavern walls, I position myself behind a large rock, with a full view of the screaming Vandal horde pooled below, ready to launch an assault. Vert comes up quickly behind me, all of us having ditched our vehicles a few metres back.

Kalus himself is on a large rock position above his army, Krokomodo and Sever by his side, along with two nameless guards.

"Vandals! The earth is within our grasp!" he yells out, gesturing to the open portal. This earns him more battle cries in approval and excitement.

"Look at all those Vandals." Vert whispers.

"Armed Vandals." I mutter back, before moving a hand to my noise. " Correction, disgusting armed Vandals."

I survey the area, and see what looks like an endless army.

"How are we supposed to get passed?" I ask, looking to my right to the direction we need to go. Separating us and them is a smaller group of vandals listening to aAlus.

Vert looks at me like he had a brilliant idea, pulling out his glasses. "Sherman modded my glasses with a little reverb tech," he switches down what looks like a microphone, "So all I need to do is tweak my voice and throw it." He ends his voice now a lot deeper and gravellier then it was.

Kalus continues with his speech. "The sub-creatures shall feel the weight of out arms. The strength of our steel! They will come to fear me. As Kalus- "

Vert, using his new voice, interrupts him loudly. "The yellow bellied swamp snake!"

Many of the vandals turn to look at one in the centre of the mob, not knowing who really said that. Kalus glared down at the supposed perpetrator and growled. "Take this fool to the slave pits."

Without a second chance, the vandal was dragged away by some of the others, to the horrid sounding slave pit. The small group moved towards the central mass, leaving our route open.

"Now's our chance!" Vert says with his regular voice.

We slip by, and follow the beam down a large tunnel. I hear Kalus's horn blow behind us, but we are too far away to hear him.

**Agura's POV**

"Take it too the enemy boys!" I call out, charging ahead in the Tangler, ready to face some Vandals. This is possibly the most important fight we're going to have. We need to win this. We can do only so much here, it's up to Asia and Vert to shut down Hatch's device.

"Reverb is cranked." Stanford reports, his weaponry coming out of the hood of his car, firing at the enemy, sending one of them flying into the canyon.

The Buster charges at one of the scouts, and it looks like a head on collision is seconds away from taking place. Abruptly, the Cortez brothers spin the Buster around, and out comes their ramp. Unable to stop, the Vandal flies up the ramp and dives into the pit.

Zoom flies above us, occasionally dropping on enemy cars, sending them sprawling into the abyss below us.

Seconds after I send another one into the canyon by stealing one of its wheels using by grapple, I spot a Vandal making a break for the pass, about to drive past Stanford.

"He's making a break for the pass!" I exclaim, alerting Stanford.

"Woah!" Stanford yells, as the Vandal cuts by him, sending the Reverb into a fit of spinning. When it stops, the reverb is facing the pass and the Vandal car. In a matter of seconds that Vandal too is stopped by Stanford's cannons.

"People love djs. People respect djs." mutters Stanford to himself, eyebrows furrowed, grimacing.

More vandals charge a us with everything they've got.

"Get ready for Round two!" says Sherman.

"H-How many rounds is this fight scheduled for?" Spinner cries, voice higher then usual.

"Yeah, I don't know if I can fit in overtime!" Zoom adds on flying above our heads.

"It's gonna be a long one boys." I say darkly, turning the Tangler back around and driving towards.

We all charge head on, giving it all the energy we have.

"What wave are we on!" exclaims Spinner.

"I don't know, but that moat is filling up fast!" Sherman replies.

"And I don't think we have a spare moat!" Zoom says, swerving to the side to avoid spears that had been tossed his way.

Seeing another one coming up behind me, I spin around and know=ck that vandal into the moat with a tire.

Stanford, while he fires his attacks, continues to complain. "You know, I should charge over time for my services. I should charge PERIOD for my services!"

Another wave of Vandals fly out of the portal, and who else comes out with them but Kalus himself.

"Vandals! Advance! We must clear the route for the hordes!" he yells, racing around one side of the pit.

"Pick your Vandal and hold the line!" I call to the others, choosing my own and moving out. Up closer I see it's Sever, which doesn't help is case. I drive straight on, before elevating the body of the Tangler and driving over him. Firing my grapple out, I send him flying into the moat.

"Seriously guys, what we do is really hard work. Don't you want a little recognition for it?" Stanford asks us.

Fed up with his whining g the rest of us yell. "No Stanford!"

Firing his cannons again, Stanford aims for Kalus, but her drives out of the way, and Stanford hits the Vandal behind him.

Kalus in retaliation launches one of his spears at Stanford, barely missing his head, speeratign his faux hawk.

Another stream of vandals come out, and now they heavily out way us in terms of numbers. " Retreat to the pass!" I call out, zooming back to the narrower section between two canyon walls.

Turning around about a quarter of the way in the canyon, we all face the portal and the oncoming Vandals.

Weighing my options and my own sense of dread in my head, I callout an order to Stanford. "Stanford, seal the pass!"

Zoom exclaims in surprise. "But Asia and Vert! They'll be trapped in there with the Vandal." I can see the fear for them on his face.

"We don't have a choice." I respond assertively, not letting my own doubts leak into the tone of my voice. "Do it!" I order, turning to Stanford.

Stanfrd hesitates, as the Vandals approach the pass. In my mind I egg him on; this is the only solution as of right now. He needs to do this, WE need to do this.

Firing once again, Stanford sends rocks tumbling down, successfully blocking the Vandals in.

"Fall back to the diner!" I command.

Stanford groans. "I say we lock ourselves in the hub and wait for the invasion to pass."

"No. The Vandals are scavengers; they'll sniff out the diner in no time and start taking trophies." I respond seriously.

"Human trophies." Sherman adds.

Without another word, we all turn and head towards Zeke's.

I hear Zoom say quietly to himself, taking one last look at the sealed passage. " Don't screw this up Asia, I need you back here."

I can't help but agree with him. I wonder if I'm sealing Vert's fate… I ca't think about that, he's going to make it back; we're going to get passed this, like always.

"Sorry Vert, you're on your own."

**Asia's POV**

We stop behind large rocks, getting as low as we can. Infront of us are two guards, and I know that just beyond that bend is Hatch.

"We need to take them down quick, before they can sound the alarm." Vert ays, surveying our area.

Looking at them I know exactly what to do. Racing along the wall behind them, I strategically kick one I the back before taking the other down. Both falling onto the ground, out cold.

"Sorry, were you saying something?" I call out to him.

Vert smiles and gives me a thumb up. "Works for me."

At the end of the tunnel is exactly what we thought we would find. Hatch standing on some sort of large contraption he must have built.

I can hear him gloating from where we are. "Everyone doubted you. Hatch they said, time stasis is impossible. But you proved them wrong!"

Vert looks over his shoulder at me. "Target located."

I smile , holding up the exspolsive, he handed me minutes before.

He holds up his hand in a motion to stop. Wheeling into view, comes Krokomodo. He angrily jumps out of his parked vehicle, growling loudly.

"Kalus thinks he can pull off this invasion without ! He keeps me away from the action because he fears me," The alligator growls, kicking the machine, to the protest of Hatch, " Fears my strength. Fears my good looks."

Vert narrows his eyes, beckons me to follow him, and the two of us change positions.

Krokomodo seems to have noticed, as he's glaring at our new spot.

We freeze, not moving a muscle, as Krokomodo stalks towards us.

"I hope you have a plan to make him go away." I whisper.

"Go away? Hey, that's not a bad idea." He responds, fiddling with his voice changer again.

"Krokomodo! Report to the front! Battle Force Five is overwhelming," Vert says, smiling at me, "Especially the handsome one named Vert." I stifle a laugh at the last bit.

Krokomodo stiffens up and walks back to his vehicle with a new sense of importance. "Yes Captain Kalus."

Attached to a line hooked onto the roof of the cavern, I climb up the wall and across the roof with the explosive, just above Hatch.

"I knew it! That coward needs me!" Krokomodo snarls, leaping into his vehicle.

"But my time inhibitor! You must protect it!" whines Hatch.

"Stop being so cowardly. You and your little invention will be perfectly safe." Snaps Krokomodo, driving off.

Quietly, I slowly drop myself down, placing the explosive behind Hatch in a corner, before pulling myself up again, and making my way back to Vert.

Once I get there, I unhook myself, smile at Vert, and the two of us make our way back to our vehicles.

We've made it out undetected, and the only thing stopping us from getting to the portal are the Vandals below us.

"These guys want to fight so much they look like they're ready to explode." I point out, looking down at the mass of yelling Vandals.

"Yes they are. Which means all we have to do is add the spark." Vert smirks, and I get his meaning.

I put my hand down on my bike, and to my surprise a spike suddenly flies out from the front, knocking a Vandal on the head!

"Since when could Eclipse do that?!" I exclaim, looking at Vert, who shrugs.

"Didn't Zoom show you that?" he asks. I shake my head in reply, before looking down at Kalus's minions, now a giant mob fight.

"Time to jet!" Vert exclaims. Together we fly off the cliff, into the space the Vandals occupy and drive towards the portal, everyone too busy fighting to pay attention to us.

Easily we make it to the floating platforms, hopping form one to one and crossing through the portal on the other side.

**(Later)**

In the distance of the desert around Handler's Corners, I see Kalus standing beside Stanford, crossbow to his head. I smirk, and jam down on the button that turns the Eclipse and I invisible

Keeping the timing just right, I slam into Kalus, and he is shoved to the ground. He looks up just as the invisibility comes off me and my bike and I take my helmet ff, grinning triumphantly.

"We thought the mobi would even the odds a little." I say.

At that momentthe Mobi's own invisibility shield come off, as it fires more missiles towards the Vandal army like it had done moments before.

Kalus stands up and yells in the direction of the mobi. " My hordes will destroy your planet!"

Even though he is inside the Mobi, I know he is grinning as he says. " In about 30 seconds the bomb we planted on Hatch's device goes KABOOM!"

"Which means you'll be trapped here with us." I add on.

"And Krokomodo gets to take your place as Warlord back on Vandal." Vert finishes.

Kalus growls at us. "Retreat! He yells to his army." To the Portal!" He leaps into his vehicle, driving back to his littered army.

I turn towards the mobi." Uhhh, 30 seconds?" I question.

"More like 3 minutes. Just enough time to set things right. Let's Move!" Vert says, and we race out.

Back a the diner, we were setting everything the way it was. Well, they were, I was making myself a milkshake.

Stanford was over by the table with the girl throwing the pizza at that one dude. " I think I'll do this bloke a favour." He muses, changing the direction of the flying pizza.

"Dude!" laughes Vert.

"All in a day's work." Stanford replies, and they begin walking out.

"You coming Asia?" Vert calls over his shoulder.

"Just one minute." I respond. The second they are out the door, I change the pizza agian, because I think this dude did something to deserve it. After I race out the door.

Lying in bed that night, I can't help but muse over the day's events. I conversed with Vert in the battlezone without even thinking about it, which is really good for me.

And I can't help but recall the strange thoughts when Zoom and I were watching the news. Or before that when we went swimming and I couldn't help but smile the entire time. Or when I was sitting on his lap when we played truth or Dare. Or when we hugged after the time started again. Or how I felt when he launched into a story about our time in the order, when we raided the pantry with the sweets inside. Or the fact that he's really, really, cute.

I groan, facepalming.

How can I be so stupid!

I like Zoom.

I think I'm going to die.

**I'm BACK! So, I think this is a decent chapter, but I do feel like I need to work on my action scenes. And I just want to mention, that this will most likely be the only chapter where I do the episode with Asia in it and little to no changes. **

**So, as I am on summer break, I will try to update once a week , most likely on a Saturday. If I do not, send me a pm or a review to tell me to get working on it, or else it is just going to slip my mind. **

**Please review! I need constructive crtisicm to help improve this story! Bye for now!**

**-Chocolate**

**Bonus Scene**

"Their Vandals like totally attempted to take earth!"

His lip curled at the thought of the Vandals attempting to do something so drastic in his world. It would never happen. "And what are their results? Are we fighting those Vandals for earth now?"

She shook her head, grinning. "No, the Positive Battle Force 5 kept them at bay. And they have another member. A girl."

He leaned back in his chair. "And how strong is she?"

"Strong, she and their leader took out a device behind enemy lines."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? And do we have a version of her?"

"No, but I'll explain later. But, like, they are all really tired from fighting an invasion."

He grinned. "Perfect. Tell the others we attack tomorrow."


	12. Chapter 12

**Dialogue in Bold is in Thai**

**Asia's POV**

"After incorrectly identifying the problem twice, making it worse, doing the complete opposite of what I said to do, and nearly blowing us up, we've finally fixed up your bike." Zoom sighs, standing up from where he had been crouching.

"I told you that I was hopeless when it comes to mechanics." I retort, standing next to him, crossing my arms over my chest.

"But you didn't say you were homicidal with engines."

"Well, I'm sorry, I didn't realize stuff inside of bikes could possibly explode. Geez, there is no pleasing you is there." " I respond.

"No, it's fine. The next time your bike needs repairs, ask someone else to do it, or you will kill us all.

"Agreed." My stomach howls, and I smile sheepishly at my friend.

"Sounds like you are hungry. Want to grab some food at Zeke's?"

"Absolutely. You are ordering."

"I know Asia. I always order for you. "One of these days you're going to have to start talking to people. It's part of life." Zoom says, putting on his yellow helmet.

"I've been doing a perfectly good job at living my life without socializing." I defend, putting on my own helmet.

"It's not going to be that way forever." He reminds me, as we drive out and away from the Hub on our bikes.

"I'll do my best." I say.

"But really, talking isn't that hard. You are doing it right now." Zoom continues, refusing to let the topic drop as we speed along the bumpy road to the small diner in the distance.

"This is different. I know you. We're friends. Your- it's hard to explain. I don't like to talk with people I don't know who might use my words against me."

"How could someone use your order of a milkshake against you?"

"Easy. Poison it, spike it, make it inedible, judge me, the list goes on."

"You are really pessimistic aren't you?"

"Guilty is charged."

Pulling into the parking lot, we grab two spots right in front of the building; next to Zeke's rusty old hunk of a thing that some would think qualifies as a truck.

"That's not a good way to go about life." He points out.

"It may not be a good way, but it's a realistic way. If you don't get your hopes up, then you won't get disappointed, right?" I respond, as we sit down at a table.

He just shakes his head. "I worry about you Asia. Your just so dark and closed off."

My heart flips when he admits he worries about me, but I push it down, just as Grace comes by to take our orders, and Zoom gets us our usual.

A few tables away, a group of girls notice us, or more precisely, notice Zoom. They fall silent, staring at him, before erupting into a puddle of whispers and giggles.

"What haven't you told me?" he asks.

"Nothing." I say sharply, taking a breath, "I don't like talking about it. I'm not ready. Once I am and we are somewhere private, I promise you that you'll be the first to know."

We were both silent, and my gaze slides back to the girls, who were now most likely talking about him, which is quite annoying and stupid. The shadows around the diner begin to grow larger, creeping closer every second. I feel the familiar twist in my stomach, and immediately try to quench it. Not now, not in public. Not ever. Lately, something has been off.I cant concentrate anymore.

"Time for a topic change?" he questions.

I laugh quietly, why I found that funny I don't know. "I think that is a good idea." I say, just as Grace comes back with two chocolate milkshakes and a large container of fries for us to share.

After taking a few sips, I talk again. "** Don't look now, but there is a table of girls behind you who are totally checking you out."**

He turns, and they quickly pretend they weren't staring, thankfully as I do not like that at all. He looks, winks and flashes a smile before turning back to me. The girls turn into a mess of giggles and a one throws triumphant smirk my way, like I was their rival who they had just beaten.

**"Not my type."**

**"Oh really? Why not?"**

**"They seem vain. Plus their staring is getting really awkward."**

**"I know. I wonder what they see in you. There is not much to be honest, unless you have a thing for frogs." **I tease, and Zoom sticks his tongue out at me.

**"Excuse me, but I am very attractive, everyone agrees. Trust me, you think so too." ** He retorts, munching on a french fry angrily.

**"In your dreams froggie."**

**"I'm actually in _your_ dreams Asia. Don't worry, I don't judge you. I'm just that attractive."**

I laugh, and playfully swat his arm, even though he was actually really cute, but that was something I wouldn't admit out loud.

**"If they are not your type, then who is?" **I ask, and grab a couple of fries to eat.

He cocks an eyebrow. **"Is someone interested? All you need to do is ask."**

**"Please, I have standards, and froggies like you don't even stand a chance." **

He swallows, and puts a hand on his chest, mocking hurt. **"That is hurtful Asia. I am the best thing this town has ever seen. And with jabs like that I might just leave and this town will be left with nothing."**

**"Dude, your inner Stanford is showing."**

Zoom laughs. **"Touché Asia. As for my type-"**

_Stormshock in T minus four minutes. _

"There goes lunch." I sigh, as we hurriedly get up, and Zoom stuffs a 10 dollar bill on the table.

"Another day Asia. Let's go."

"So, the lovebirds are back from their lunch date, how did it go?" Spinner taunts as the two of us catch up to the others driving full speed over the flats to the twister that would take us to the battlezone.

"Shut up Spinner." Zoom responds, just as I mentally cursed the older Cortez.

"Oh dear, I think this stormshock interrupted them sharing a milkshake." Stanford crooned, and I heard snickers from the others. OH, am I glad I'm wearing a helmet so no one sees me blushing.

"Shut up Stanford." I growl.

"But really Asia, do we have a wedding to plan or not?" Vert adds.

"SHUT UP!" we chorus, and a round of laughter follows.

"Boys, that's enough. We have a mission" Agura chides. Thank you.

"Yes! To get them together!" Spinner yelled.

"I swear Spinner..." I left the threat hanging, realizing how the words were slipping out of me, and I wasn't thinking about them...This is good, maybe, maybe talking isn't that hard at all.

"Agura's right guys. C'mon, we have a battlezone to lock down." Vert says, picking up the pace and zooming into the twister. And we follow right behind.

The portal looms large in front of us, and in seconds we pass through to reveal a large barren desert, quite like Handler's corners but different, somehow. It might possibly be the dark, looming thunderclouds looking just about ready to strike us down with lightning. Everywhere I look, its a vast expanse, not even a shrub in sight, except for a steep hill in the distance.

"We're sitting ducks out here. From every angle its possible to be ambushed, and there will be no cover to regroup in." Sherman states/

"Quack." replied Spinner.

"Alright everyone, be on the alert. Asia, I want you to head out and find who were fighting for the battle key. Zoom, you take to the skies and try to find it. Got it?" Vert orders.

"Got it." I respond.

"The battle key will be ours!" Zoom cheers. The Buster quickly lowers down its ramp, and I swerve, launching the Eclipse into the sky, jamming down on the button that converts it to flying, Zoom right next to me. Pressing a different button, both myself and my bike disappear, flying off in the cloudy sky.

I keep low, training my eyes for any signs of vehicles. The clouds cast dark shapes onto the flat ground, churning and moving, having nothing to take shape, dragging listlessly behind their attached objects.

Focus Asia! Don't concentrate on useless details and try to find the enemy. At this rate they could drive below you and you wouldn't notice! Right, now, let's see is their any tracks or possibly...

In the distance, a shock of blue light glows across the landscape, separating the dark and ominous just like that.

A portal. I immediately head in that direction, hovering close by as they come through the portal.  
e  
And I have no flipping clue who these people are. And that's the thing, they are people, not animals, not robots, people. And they look disturbingly like the rest of the team. Even their vehicles are the same, but are complete trash. Dirty, rusty in places and the tires are trash, and that's coming from someone who doesn't know the first thing about fixing a automobile.

"This is what we've been waiting for. We're out of the negative zones, and I except you idiots to not screw it up." commanded the leader, with the same voice as Vert, but a whole lot crueler.

"We know. You've said it a bunch times." snarked Stanford, without his accent.

"So many times that Sherman over their can't even count that high." insulted Zoom, in the most un-Zoom way I have ever heard from or not him... I'm really confused right now.

"Could you all like, shut up? I can't hear anything over your stupidity." remarked Agura. No, there is no way that's Agura, she would never talk in that nasally valley girl voice.

"Shut your traps! As I was saying, the first thing we do is get the battle key, and the second thing we do is obliterate the goodie goodies! Do I make myself clear?" yelled Not-Vert.

"We're gonna crush them!" cheered Sherman, speaking slowly, unsure of what he was saying.

"Good work idiot-hey! What's that over there?" Spinner asks.

Turning in that direction, I see the rest of my team driving south. Well, wonderful. I suppose this would be the time to take my leave. Turning, I fly that way, hoping that I would get there before the pthers did and have time to explain. Crap, I have to do a lot of talking.

"Guys, I know who we're up against." I say immediately as soon as I determine I'm far enough away from the others and close to my teammates, pushing a button and switching back to being visible.

"Who are we up against. Sark? Vandals? OR let me guess... Both?" Stanford asks.

"Actually..." I start.

"Guys! Over there!" Spinner states urgently, I whip around and low and behold, they are rushing towards us.

"Well, we meet again." says the other Vert.  
Wait, They've  
"Have you been waiting to have your butts kicked again?" the right Vert responds.

"Not likely. We want to give you a taste of our special brand of medicine for those who make us look like fools." the anti -Stanford snarls. Snarls? That is not something out Stanford

I am seriously confused. Who are these people?

"Who are we? Who are you? We are the Negative Force 5. The better and improved version of you, and wewant to bash some heads!" their negative it seems Zoom saild, yelling the ;ast few words, and suddenly we were locked in a fight. And it seemed everyone was against themselves, Cortez against Cortez, Vert against Vert, except for me. I got lucky and get to fight (not) Zoom in the air, both of us carefully balanced standing on our flying vehicles.

We dodge and weave, both trying to land punches. I immediately notice his fighting styles differs from Zoom's; he's much more aggressive, his technique is nonexsistent and he goes for power as his approach. While Zoom's is very technical, and he goes for surprise moves more often then blind punches.

"Your pretty good at this. Not as good as me, but good enough for others I guess. I hold things up to my very high standards, and while your fighting skills are lacking, your face just exceeds what I originally thought about yo people." he converses, as we trade blows. I'm starting to get the feeling he talks to much.

"You know, you don't have to fight me babe. You could always switch sides, and I could get a crap ton of stuff once we get what were looking for." he says, dodging a narrowly missed punch. HA! Quickly , I knock my legs into his, and he stumbles, quickly regaining his footing. Like that would ever happen.

"Come on, you know I wont hurt an angel like you. Angel.. it suits you, don't you think?" he smirks, holding his palms out, staring directly at me. Angel? Angel! Oh, hell no. With a quick kick to his stomach, he falls back onto his Chopper, one arm around where I hit him.

"Ah, maybe you need some more convincing. I'll be back for you." he smiles, but it looked, wrong somehow, and flies off.

Where is he going? Oh, wait. The key, Zoom! I need to warn him. I start talking through the com link, and I can only hope that he can hear me.

"Zoom? You have the key?"

"Safe and secured. I'm coming back now. Why?"

"You've got a double on your tail. He's rather annoying, and if he mysteriously disappeared I would be more then okay."

"Wonderful. The negatives. I really don't like these guys. I see him, I'm just about straight above him but the idiot hasn't looked up yet. What did he do to make you so mad?"

"Flirted, I think." I had never really been flirted with before, but from what I gathered form my very limited knowledge, I think that's what it was.

He goes quiet. "Flirted?"

"Yeah. Apparently Angel suits me."

He laughs awkwardly. "Angel. I can see it."

"I swear Zoom, if you start..."

"Sorry. I'll be there in a minute."

Good. I wanted to get back home as soon as possible. Turning my attention down, the fight goes on not far below me, on the dark, dark surface. Asia!

Right, I need to do something. Aiming for the dirty and beaten cars, I fire spikes at them, giving my team the benefit of them being distracted and hit by projectiles. The other teams Stanford shot his emp blasts straight for the Eclipse, and only a swift barrel roll saved me from being Sonic toast. And a few carefully aimed spikes later I've jammed up his guns, leaving my Stanford with an easy finish.

The only one who's match is truly equal on both sides is the Verts. Each managing a blow before being sent another in return. And it would probably be for the best if I tipped the odds in the right ones favor. Shooting out so I was over top of them, I shot one down into the glass of negative Vert's glass, followed by more, forcing him to back up and away from my leader.

"Thanks for the help!" Vert calls, and I nod in recognition.

So many people and I was closer to the ground, too many seemingly cruel strangers might over hear.

"Guys! I have the battle key!" Zoom calls, well, zooming towards us on his Chopper, and I happily note that the anti-Zoom was nowhere to be seen.

"Good work Zoom. Battle Force 5, let's head out!" Vert orders. We cheer, untangling ourselves from the battle, and zipping off into the distance. Strangely, the negative's don't follow, but I brush it off as exhaustion and being outnumbered.

The portal opens and we fly back into our world. Zoom holds his hand out, and our newly won battle key zips right to him, closing the portal completely, sealing the battle zone.

"Let's go back to the hub everyone, this was a tough battle, and I doubt we'll be seeing the negative force 5 for a long time." congratulates Vert. The team drives back out through the desert and to our base of operations.

"It's great that you got the battle key and all, but you still owe me lunch." I smile at him.

"Like I could forget. I'm assuming it will be your usual?" he responds, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.  
"You know me so well."

"And I'm very glad I do." my heart flutters and together we race after out team, sun glowing in the sky, the dark crevices around me barely bothering me as I drove along the salt flats with my best friend and the coolest team ever.

**Third Person POV**  
"Well, do you have it?" he snaps.

The gold piece glowed in his dirty hands as he handed it to his fearless and harsh leader. "It's only the first piece, but it's a start. The blonde looked at his disgusting reflection, the dark mark under his left eye showing proud contrast against his pale skin. He smiled wickedly.

"Who needs Battle key when we'll have this? Those goodie goodie copycats wont know what'll hit them.  
**Hi everyone! It's been far too long, and I hope this chapter makes up for it! So, yes, the main villians are the Negative Force 5 for this main part at the least. And yes, Tezz will be making his appearance here, as well as AJ, but for Tezz some adjustments will have to be made, and I'm not going to add the fused thingy for now. I would also like YOUR OPINION on something, sould I twist the timeline and add athe Chosen one's episode thing with some major differences? I wouldn't bore you with parts of that episode that didn't effect Zoom, Asia or the team. Thoughts? Also, I will probably go back and tweak the earlier chapters at some time, to match up with the later chapters more. It think that is all so yeah! Bye!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Any dialogue in BOLD is in Thai. (You guys know the drill by know, right?)**

It was almost ten in the morning. I would normally already be out of bed by now but today I felt horrible. Sickly, anxious, depressed. All those emotions bundled up into one giant mess.

I know what is happening. The shadows are moving, creeping towards me. They are calling to me. I won't cave to them. But they are cruel, and they won't let me ignore them without a cost.

I've felt it happening more and more. I feel dizzy, have headaches, my vision gets blurred for a few seconds, I can't concentrate. I could solve everything, if I were to just-. No, no I can't afford to think like that. I need to get out of here. Do something, anything to keep my mind occupied.

Vert had said that of there were no stormshock today, we could take it easy and relax. Normally when faced with free time, I'd go to Zoom. Well, it was my reaction to most things. Be in public? Stick next to Zoom. Partner off and work on moves? Go to Zoom. I rely on him more then I should. And I feel like I should start talking to my other teamates. I want to work on my socializing, maybe be able to get out more then a yes or a no to a stranger, although I will always be an introvert.

But the thought of talking, socializing with someone I don't know?

There is simply so much that could go wrong, to many unknowns. I could embarrass myself, I could say the wrong think, The words might get stuck in my throat. I could reveal something I shouldn't have, they could spread rumours, or worse, they could turn me in to _him._

Just the thought of it make me anxious and sick to my stomach.

But it was really time to get moving, and these people aren't strangers, they are my friends, teammates. Fighting together to save the world and all that jazz.

I get up off my bed and stretch, moving aching muscles, which I seem to be waking up with more and more as of recently. I gaze around my room, which no one, unless you lived here, would know it was my room. It was almost the exact same as I got it, with minor differences. The walls were a light blue, bordering on white. A stand up mirror stood in the corner next to the door. There was a decent sized bed, a nightstand with a lamp next to it, a cushioned chair in the other corner, with a dresser and self along that wall.

It was extremely clean too, with only a couple books, brush and phone with cracks in the corner screen in sight. There is a dark blue blanket, I had gotten from a thrift for warmth, although after a few years it was wearing down. But I can't part with it. And out of habit, there is a packed bag in the corner. Clothes, a blanket, money, some food that wouldn't go bad for at least another year. Essentials.

It was always there, in the corner of her eye. Whenever I get too comfortable, there sits

the grey bag, a grim reminder of the certain future, and the inescapable past.

My stomach tightens as I push those thoughts away. I really, really need to get out of here.

I make a quick change into a grey t-shirt and leggings, slide on my shoes, lock and leave my room that was slowly suffocating me

I cross into the rec room, a place that was in need of a cleaning,(although no one was willing to do it) where one of Spinner's video games was blaring loud and bright on the tv. Unsurprisingly, seated on the couch, feet on top of the coffee table, was Spinner.

He turned to face me throwing his hands at me, grinning. "Asia, just the person I was looking for!"

I freeze midstep, blink a few times and try to come up with an answer in under a minute. "Yeah?"

"Well, you see, I've been wanting to play against someone in this game for awhile now. And everyone came up and asked me to play. But you know what? I said nope, I'm saving a turn for Asia. So what do you say?" He moves his arms for impact as he speaks. Like most people would, I see right through him.

"Everyone else said no, didn't they?"

His expression turned sheepish. "Well, maybe, but that doesn't change the fact that you are here now!

Normally, I would politely say no ( or bluntly, depending on my mood) and awkwardly leave the room. But I made a promise to myself to change, plus it is slightly hard to stand up. Sighing, I sit down on the couch.

Spinner hands me a controller, and quickly explains how to play. I hastily pick a car ( going for the black one, because I'm generic like that.) as the screen pops up on the tv.

The game starts, set in a generic racetrack setting. Even just seconds in it's obvious that he's going to win. And it's not for lack of trying, I'm just rotten at video games. That and Spinner lives for video games.

"Yeah!" Spinner cheers, as his brightly coloured car crosses the finish line first. I smile.

"Good game." I say, getting up off the couch. I don't know whether it was the insanely loud background music or the concentration on a bright screen, but my headache had worsened.

"Don't you want to play another round?" Questioned the older Cortez.

"No, thank you. Maybe later." I replied, quickly walking, out of the rec room. There, I made it through a social encounter without much incident. Well, I'm not sure if playing a video game counts as something social, but I'll take my victories where I can.

I walk into the kitchen, grab a water bottle from the fridge, taking a long drink. Leaning against the counter, I shut my eyes, trying to clear my head.

"Feeling sick?" came a voice. I nearly jumped out of my skin, opening my eyes almost dropping my water bottle.

"Did I scare you? Sorry about that." Agura apologized, arm leaning against the fridge.

"N-no, I'm fine. All good." I get out, taking another drink of water. "And- uh, I'm just a little sick. I'll be fine." I focus my gaze on screwing the cap onto my water bottle. I hope my face isn't red from jumping up like that.

"Well, if you say so." She started. "I was wondering if you'd seen Stanford."

That's an unexpected question. Especially for me, as I have made a point to socialize with the others as little as I can get away with outside of battlezones, training or Zeke's. Not that its a good thing. "Er- not recently. Or, at all today."

"Huh. What about Zoom?" Why is she asking about Zoom, even if I would probably know where he was. Well, usually. "No, I haven't seen him today. I can text him for you if you want." I offer, only to remember my phone was in the other room. Oh no, this will be awkward. I'll have to go and get it, but wait what if she wants to go into my room with me? Crap what if she asks about my bag and I'm going to have to lie or maybe she going to wonder why it looks like I haven't done anything to it or hide something in there that monitors my movements. Or-

Agura breaks my chain of thoughts. "No, it's fine. I thought Stanford might have been at Zeke's, and if Zoom is there it means they are probably trying to woo Grace into going on a date with one of them."

Oh. I didn't even think about where he might be, but Agura is right, he is probably with Grace. Just the thought of that kind of hurts my heart a little, even though it shouldn't because it doesn't matter to me.

"It's fine, you still have a chance with him." Agura tells me.

I say yeah, still caught up in my thoughts before registering what exactly she said. Immediately I jump up once again, face red and fumbling over my words. "What- n-no. That is not it at all where would you get an idea- its not like that, n-NO!"

She raises one eyebrow. "Oh, its not like that at all, is it?" she asks sarcastically.

Slightly angry at myself for slipping up and embarrassed I look down and shake my head. "It's not." How could I have made that mistake. Not only for not paying attention, but not fixing it immediately. My reaction caused her to find this out and now it's obvious and what happens if she tells someone? Or Zoom?

She shrugs. "If that is the case. But just in case it's not, your secret is safe with me." She winks. This is better, if only slightly in that no one is going to find out, but worse in the fact that I'm now in her debt, and this could easily be used as blackmail.

"Well, I've got revenge I need to get on Stanford, so I should get to that. Oh! Actually, if you see him in the next, say, half an hour, could you text me to let me know?

"Ok."

"Great, thanks for the help Asia!" she called behind her shoulder as she swung out of the kitchen. I put a hand to my forehead and sigh. What exactly happened in that conversation?

Maybe I should just go back to my room and try to sleep. Talk to everyone another day. No, no I can't do that. I'll delay and delay and never get around to doing it. I can however do a quick Muay Thai practice session. To get my head on my shoulders again before I continue with my voyage with talking.

The garage was the allocated zone for hand to hand combat practice, after an incident with a lemonade jug and Zoom and I goofing off and having a mock fight. Although it wasn't like we set out to break something, and we weren't even actually fighting. But that was the rule, so I take my water bottle and pounding head to the garage.

I step into the frame of the door when I see that the empty space normally used was already taken.

Vert had set up stacks of tires three high, and was weaving around them, knocking each down with punches or kicks.

I wait for a moment, debating whether I should ask if there was room for me to train as well, before deciding against it. Turning around, I was just about ready to head out.

"Asia!" the blonde leader calls. I turn, inclining my head towards him.

"Yeah?" I ask somewhat hesitantly, I wonder what he wants?

"What's up?" he asks, resting his elbow on top of a stack of tires, effortlessly leaning against it.

"Oh- I- I was going to do a quick training session, but you are using it. So I'll go, I mean. Sorry." my sentences became progressively more mumbled and run together. How awkward was this?

"Training? Well what do you think of my form?" he asks.

"Your, form? I ask, wondering if I got it right.

"Yeah, what do you think of my punches?" To emphasize his point, he took his elbow off the stack, pivoted so he was facing the tires and punched, sending the first one flying across the room and the second to topple over.

Timidly, I walk a few steps into the room, taking care to step over random grease spots that were abundant. "Well you have a lot of strength, and your power is pretty good to. But the way you placed your feet, made you lean to the right. And the way you swung made you lean forward. So a well placed punch to either side would topple you over." the words poured out of her, each more confident then the next, she didn't even have to think, her mind immediately switching over to fighting mode. If there was one thing she knew, it was her way around combat.

"Okay, so I should do it more like this?" he repositioned himself and took a practice swing at the air.

"Much better. But your feet are to close together. Doing that might make you ready to move, but you can easily get knocked over. Instead keep your feet at a bit of a distance, and stay on your toes, so you can move but keep a strong stand." she instructs, illustrating what she meant

"I think I get it. Hey, why don't we do a little practice sparring match? Just for fun."

"Uh, sure." she agrees, setting her water bottle on the ground, getting into a fighting stance. "We hold back, and it ends when one person gets in a spot they can't get out of.

"Sounds good." Vert gets into a stance of his own, and we slowly begin to circle each other, looking for a good moment to strike. I wait it out, and just like I thought, he goes first, aiming for my chest, but I dodge, though not swift enough and he lands a blow to my shoulder. Twisting, I kick and graze his side before leaping out of the way. Barely getting a breath in he goes for my side. It goes on for a minute or two more , before he trips me up and I go sliding onto the floor.

"Ah, sorry about that. You really put up a fight though, I almost thought you would beat me." he compliments, sticking a hand out. There is only a little shake and a few second hesitation before I gingerly took the offer for help up.

" You did good too." I say, brushing dirt and who know what else off my legs. "How about just one more match? See if I win this time."

"Sure, why not." he says, stretching his shoulders as he talked. We both assume fighting stances and start again. This time I predict his movements better, and we parry and strike and parry. I eventually get below one of his punches, land a kick to his gut and an elbow to the face. He stumbles back, and falls into a tire resting on the floor.

A couple of deep breaths, I can't help but grin, that was a good victory. As the adrenaline begins to ebb, I realize he was still sitting and this was a mock fight and I hit him with force. Realization dawns on me and I out my face in my hands.

"Oh my go I'm such an idiot! I got caught up in the moment and forgot this was practice! I'm so sorry!" I repeat, quickly moving over to him.

"It's fine Asia. I'll be ok, might be a bit of a bruise but nothing major." he rubs his jaw before continuing. "Boy, you sure can hit."

I smile sheepishly. " So I've been told." The rush of adrenaline all but gone, the ache of my muscles and the pounding in my head comes into full effect. Swaying on the spot, I stumble sideways. 'Woah." I mumble.

"Hey, are you ok?" Vert questions, getting up from the ground.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've just been feeling sick recently." I explain, perhaps doing two matches of sparring wasn't the best idea if I was sick. Maybe I shouldn't have admitted I was sick either, I don't want it to be taken as weakness, or people to ask too many questions. Maybe I should have just stayed in bed today.

Damnit Asia, you are over-analyzing things again. It's fine. You're fine(ish).

"You should probably head down to the med bay, see if you can get something for that. Need me to take you there?"

"I'm sick, not stupid." If Zoom were here, he'd follow up with something about how I was stupid, but he wasn't and that probably sounds rude, so I quickly tack on "Thanks for the offer though."

"If that is what you want. See you later." he replies.

With a gesture of my hand, I pick up my bottle and walk out of the garage.

Its not a long walk, but out of nowhere the pain seems to explode, every step seemed to hurt my head, every step another wave of pain. Everything seemed to begin to hurt, adding its own piece to the wailing symphony of pain.

I'm beginning to think that even the sentient based medicine we have can help me. I'm out of options, I just want to curl up and give into the pain.

There is another option. A small voice in my head sang out.

Shut up , I respond.

Leaning heavily against the wall, I continue to drag myself to the med bay. Once the door is in sight I regain energy and move to it, shouldering it open. To my surprise, it wasn't empty.

" Hi Sherman." I greet weakly.

" Hi Asia. You sick too?" he asks, opening a cupboard.

"Yeah. What's got you down?"

"I've had a killer headache these past few days, Spinner got a new video game he's intent on finishing every part of, and refuses to turn down the volume when I'm trying to sleep. You?"

"Headache, aching muscles, my stomach feels horrible. I'm pretty sure I'm dying." I joke.

He laughs. "I feel you. Here," he fishes around in the cupboard for a bottle of pills and tosses it to me. "This should help, that and rest."

"You think so?"

"That is grade A medicine, if that and a nap doesn't fix you up then you really must be dying."

I nod. Unscrewing the cap, I pop two into my mouth and stick it back on. "Sounds good, I'll go rest now."

"Ok, try not to die!" he says as I leave.

"I'll do my best." I say, walking out the door.

Feeling better and with a sense of hope that I might not feel crappy for the rest of my life. I'm in front of my door when I freeze. There is a crawling sensation going up my spine. Staring at the ground, the shadows I swear weren't there before start crawling up the wall. They move and creep across the door, stretching across the window and blocking out the hot sunlight.

Whirling around I clutch my head and slide down my door. Oh my god. I'm going crazy. Why is this happening?

You know why, the voice whispers. The marching band begins pounding inside of my skull once again, quickening its obnoxiously loud beats. I do know why, I just haven't been able to bring myself around to the idea. But its seems like nothing is going to change unless I actually do it. No one is around, and if I only use a little, I should be fine. If that's how he tracks me, it won't be enough to lock onto.

My mind is made up, shakily I get up from the ground, enter my room, and shut the door.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Facing the darkest shadows in my room, I stretch out my arms.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Moving my hands in a circular motion, like pulling a thin string, I shut my eyes. Freezing my hands so they barely graze the sides, I pry open my eyes to the sight of a ball of shadow- like energy, swirling around in the small area, entrapped by my hands.

It seems impossible, what I can do. It should b But I can, as much as I wish I couldn't. It's a warped privilege, a curse that follows me, no matter where I run. The pounding, aching sickness that had been inside me for these few weeks seems to evaporate.

Shifting to one hand, I move it across the area in front of me, watching intently as the shadows ripple along above it, gradually collecting more even as some become wisps and evaporate into thin air, a dark snaking body.

The door opens, a person coming into view. "Hey- holy crap!"

Whirling around, I make the shadows disappear, but it was too late.

He had seen it.

**And that's a wrap for this chapter. Bit of a cliffhanger, right? Once again, I apologize for the extreme lateness of this chapter, ( like, I am pretty sure its been at least six months) but I hope this makes up for it, in all its 3, 579 word glory. In other news, its been over 2 years since I posted this story, which sureal. Hard to imagine I've been on and off writing this for two years now. You can see the difference in wrting quality ( in my mind anyway) comparing the latest chapters to the first few. You can also easily spot inconsistencies with Asia character, and I'm already halfway through editing them to match the more fleshed out Asia you see now. **

**I'm considering this the end of the first part of this story, and don't worry there is going to definitely be more to this. Another part definetly, if not two. Anyway, that's all I have to say. Tell me what you think! **

**Until next time!**

**-Chocolate**


End file.
